Blind
by Nakumori
Summary: TP AU. They say blind men see better then anyone else. But this is proven false when Sheik goes on an impulse and starts a rumor when he's being picked on one day. Link decides to go with it and see what happens when he finally meets Sheik...
1. Chapter 1

**Blind**

**Chapter One**

* * *

The beginning of summer brought warmth to the golden lands of Hyrule, bringing smiles to those who were outside to enjoy it. The castle of Hyrule's King's and Queen's was busy, servants bustling about as the royals and nobles miled about. Visitor's babbled excitedly with their guide's, who were actually residents of the grand palace. The highest ranking residents, the King and the royal family, were all busy as they directed the servants and prepared the garden's as more visitor's began to fill the guest rooms and the more expensive hotels throughout the city. Soldiers went about their business, some following around their charges as they finished errands and went about doing the will of the Highnesses.

Even those who preffered the indoors were outside, exploring the garden's and courtyard's in and around the city. Such a soul who frequently practiced this was sitting against a large oak, his long, slender and nimble fingers following along the lines of black letters across the pages of his book. The faint wind played with the waist'long tendrils of golden hair, bringing the scent of freshly baked treats from the castle's bakery. With the soft breeze he listened to the sounds of Caslt Guard pairs fight in an interesting game, where one had an arm behind his back and the other a blind fold to cover his eyes.

A small smile graced his lips as he tilted his head a little to listen to them better, some cheering on brothers, other's cheering on those of their own squadron. A particular pair caught his attention, their fight fierce and causing the other's to stand and watch while those who were fighting to take off their blind folds. Soon there was a large crowd circled around them, their cries becoming louder and clearer as they neared the solitary male's encloser.

"Stop now, Lhun," the one who had been holding his hand behind his back said, placing one to his sparring partner's chest as he looked down on the other male. "We are about to intrude on his lordship's lands."

"On such a sunny day, you still preffer to keep to your books," the one now known as Lhun teased as he took off the blind fold. A callused hand reached for the second book, intending to see what it was about before it was smacked sharply across the knuckles by the seated one's walking stick. He whined low in his throat as he sucked at the now burning mark, which was steadily turning into a solid red line. He dropped the blind fold and began to cradle the injured hand against his chest with his other hand.

"Don't touch, it's not your's."

"It's not like they have a use when you can't read them," one of the crowd said.

"Oh, but he does loves them," another said.

"I think he should marry them." The past Sheikah warrior sighed as he quickly tired of the guard's play, just wanting to be left in peace to be with his books.

"Can you imagine?" the one called Lhun asked as he poked the end of his sword at the robes. "That this one used to be a warrior?"

"However did he manage? What did he do, ride side-saddle as he shot down his enemies?" The crowd began to laugh, accompied by "Looks like a girl, rides like a girl," and "Side-saddle, like a lady." Moments later the leader as on his back, breath hitching as he realised it had been his stolen walking stick that had struck squarely in the chest. His peeps silenced as they looked nervously to each other and shuffled uneasily.

"I have half the mind to go find Link and see what he has to say about your behavior," Sheik said as he pulled the second book into his lap protectively, leaving his walking stick at his side.

Why would we care about that?" one of them said as the leader hurriedly scooped up the cane as Sheik realized his error in letting go of it. Standing, the fallen leader began to twirl the shoulder-height stick around his nimble, callused fingers around at his side.

"The General would probably laugh at your expense," the leader, Lhun, said as he knelt infront of the sightless Sheikah. "Why would he stop to talk to you? It's not like he has the time for someone like you."

"May I have my walking stick back?" the Sheikah ignored the question as he extended a small hand that had long, slender and nimble fingers.

The Leader stopped twirling the cane as he quircked an eyebrow. Nudging one of his companions, he said "Listen to that; he calls it a walking stick. It's a cane, a crutch. You want it back?" Sheik nodded as the soldier's pestering were exhausted. "Ask me nicely, just a little pleading will do," he continued as he noticed the other's snickering and snorting.

The little Sheikah sighed before he said "Why should I ask for something that is rightfully mine?" He began to feel his way up the tree with one hand, the other firmly holding his two precious books to his chest as he stood up. "So no, I won't ask you again. As I said before I shall simply tell your General what is going on when he is away."

"As if he has the time for you!" the Leader explaimed, tossing the stick back and forth between his hands. "He probably doesn't even know who you are."

"He does have the time, and yes, he does know who I am." Sheik hissed thw words as he moved his hands infront of him, feeling for where he was going as he began to walk away.

One shouted as he watched Sheik walk away "What is he your lover or something?"

"And what if he is?" Sheik replied without thinking as he continued walking towards the general area of where his rooms were. The group of guards immediately silenced as they all mulled over this new question.


	2. Chapter 2

**Blind**

**Chapter Two**

* * *

"G-G-General Link, what a surprise to find you here! You're here, e-e-er-early! I-I-"

Link looked down at the dark-haired Hylian from atop his great blood bay mare, Epona. "Spit it out, I haven't got all day," he said as he thought to the Highnesses he had to report in to.

"I-I do hope nothing isn't terribly amiss," the young Captain said, shaking his head full of dark curls until they were kind of messy from his exertions. His green eyes were wide with surprise, his body shifting nervously as he kept glancing between the General and behind his back.

"You'll find out at this afternoon's briefing, Captain," Link nodded his head before clicking his tongue and touching his heels to his mare's ribs. As she began walking away, the General looked back to Captain and watched him momentarily as the normally confident Captain wrung his hands and twitched nervously. Wondering if something was wrong with him, Link took note to ask him after the breifing. Taking his beloved mare to the stables for much deserved rest, oats and water was his first priority with his second to see the Princess Zelda about his rounds up to the North.

With an aplogetic glance he dropped the reins of his filth-covered mare to the hands of the stable master, before turning at the cry of his name. He first glanced towards the arch that lead a pathway to the castle, and didn't find anyone there aside from stable hands and riding lords or ladies going about their own business. A glint of sunlight off a golden lyre caught his attention, bringing his focus in on the young mucision, Lelyre. The young musician had dark brown hair, which just brushed against the bottom of his shoulder blades. His bottle green eyes sparkled as he came beside the General, a smile gracing his lips.

"Hey Lelyre," Link said as he raised a hand in a wave. "Whats with all this running around? I think I've seen more nobles on my way in then the rest of my life."

"It is nice to see you again, General Link." Lelyre haphazardly gave his older friend a hug, and Link gave the boy's hair a good ruffling. Letting go of his savior, the young musician began to walk, pulling his friend while holding his lyre in one hand carefully. "Nevermind the nobles; I have a heard a rumor of you," the sixteen year old boy continued as he playfully gave the General a stern look before being '_tsk_'ed by the older Hylian.

"What did I tell you about listening to those silly kitchen girls?" Link said before watching Lelyre shuffle his feet.

"Most of it's personal..." he said, cautiously looking over one narrow shoulder as he did so. "Most of it's not anything one would want made public."

"So? Let them talk; rumor's are what they are. Just people talking between themselves for something to do," Link said as he huffed out his chest and tilted his chin back.

Lelyre nodded his head in agreement while exclaiming " I know! I have ignored most of it, as you said to, but for the last week or so everyone's been talking about you." Link stepped back a little adruptly as Lelyre continued walking on.

"Me?" he finally asked as the smaller male's back was retreating hurriedly away from him. The young Hylian practically skipped back over to him and quickly relayed all that he knew of the rumor's in a few short phrases.

"Yes yes, your soldiers, they've been hanging around the courtyard a lot lately, they've also been talking about you. How you take some nobody who can't wield neither sword nor bow as your lover over anyone else. I had no idea who they spoke of but once when I was practicing my flute in the halls, they came in and stayed very far from the corner where Sheik likes to sit with his books. I heard them talk, pointing to him and were a little upset with what you would do when you came back, finally, one of them got up and asked if if he was really your lover. He smirked! I know right? I could hardly believe it, so I got up and asked him about it later on, once they had all left anyways. But he sighed and said you weren't-" Lelyre gasped as Link grabbed onto one of his shoulders and stopped the monologue Lelyre had just given him.

"Lelyre, I only understood half of that; let's go back on this and repeat what you said," Link said as he began to lead the boy to a distant bench that was away from the open pathway's. "So basically, Sheik lied to the guards and told him that he and I were lovers." Lelyre nodded slowly as he stayed silent to let Link digest this new tid bit. "Slowly now, why did he tell you that?"

"Because the guards were teasing him," Lelyre half-glanced over his shoulder, as if expecting them to be listening in on their conversation. "They took away his walking stick..."

Link snorted before saying "So, they teased him and took away his walking stick, so he said he was my lover?"

Lelyre nodded slowly again.

"Are you completely sure? That's exactly what he said?"

Lelyre nodded a little more hesitantly this time.

"I have one more question now, if you don't mind."

Lelyre nodded earnestly as he leaned forward.

"Who is Sheik?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Blind**

**Chapter Three**

* * *

"I am Sheik."

Link startled at the three word phrase, how simple it was but answering at least one question. The General had been so sure no one had been around, but now there was this male, who was not standing not very far away. He had a hand resting on a post, the other clutching a pair of books, one blue and one red, to his chest. He remained where he stood but the faint breeze caught his waist-long hair and robes to make them ripple across his body.

"My apologies for startling you," Sheik said as he turned his head in the direction where he figured Link and Lelyre to be.

"You? You're Sheik?" Link asked as he looked over the slight figure, dressed in rich, dark robes of grey. His eyebrows raised as he remembered expecting a much younger Hylian, easily imagining his guards tormenting some youth. "Obviously, then you know you've put us in quite the odd situation." Link shrugged off Lelyre as he tried tugging at his sleeve. "I have to go talk to the Princess, Zelda, otherwise I would stay to sort this out with you. Perhaps you might see me later in my office, shall I-"

"General," Sheik curtly cut him off, his supporting hand reaching for the walking stick that had been resting against the post. "I do apologize for the offence. But you see, I had been planning to return to Termina before you arrived back from your patrol," he further explained as he used the stick to guide his way to come closer to the pair. "I would appreciate it very much if you were to give me a day or two; I shall leave as soon as I am able and then you can tell your soldiers whatever you want to. I shall even write a letter to them, giving my apologies, if you like." Now that he was closer, Link could see the sharp features of a mature face, high cheek bones, a slight nose and a sharp chin. Link swept his gaze over full lips before finally turning to look at the male's eyes; they were covered with a folded cloth of white cotton, his bangs sweeping over the sides to frame his face. If the cloth wasn't blocking his view to the eyes, Link figured Sheik must have been a very beautiful youth.

"That won't be necessary-" Link started before being cut off once again with the wave of Sheik's hand. Link couldn't help but notice he had white bandages wrapped around his wrist and fingers.

"But right now I have errands I must run," Sheik said as he began to walk past them, his walking stick feeling around before him as he went. "Good day," he called out behind him as he rounded a corner and out of sight.

Standing with his mouth still open from being interrupted, Link closed his eyes and shut his mouth before looking to Lelyre. "Is he..." He couldn't find the right word so he just circled his finger near his ear in the motion of when someone wasn't right in the head.

"Well, he does keep to himself a lot, but I really think it has something to do with being blind, but he-" Lelyre bit his lip while looking to the path Sheik had just walked to.

"What? Hold on a second, Lelyre, go back," Link said as he rubbed the back of his neck. He could feel a head ache coming on from this burst of new information.

"That's why he has the ca--uh, the walking stick and the cloth."

"Well yeah, that was a bit weird," Link admitted as he thought about it. "I was going to ask him, but he started talking and there was no stopping him."

"He used to be a General. I think he's just used to talking and people being quiet while listening to him," Lelyre offered with a smile.

Taking one final look down the bend, Link stood up and laid a hand on Lelyre's shoulder. "Come with me, and tell me what you know of Sheik."

"Well," Lelyre started in a official tone as they approched one of the castle's entrances. "My mother says that he was in the last war, the one against the Gerudo King. He was one of the Sheikah warriors, known for their skills in warfare and other stuff, some people wouldn't consider of such warriors. She says that Sheik can play some of the most beautiful lyre she has ever heard. I have asked countless times, but he always says no. Anyways, when the young King Glithas ordered them to attack first, the General told his troops to wait. They hesitated but when things got bad they charged in to help. Except the General, Sheik. He refused to go against King Porthios' orders."

"But if he was from Termina, would it matter what Porthios' wanted? Although it was a bad tactic, Gilthas' order should have been heeded," Link said, furrowing his brow as he thought about it.

"My mother says it is because he is part Silar," Lelyre explained, as he had obviously had the same thoughts as Link at some point in time or another. "When what was left of the Termina soldiers, Prince Tanis was upset with Sheik and told him to please not come with them on the next attack." Link smirked, sure that those couldn't have been the exact words Tanis had used to talk to Sheik with. "So General Sheik went to King Porthios, and fought with his troops. When King Porthios was killed, Sheik was right there; the light and fire blinded him."

"But he should have been healed," Link said as he thought about the many magical healing powers of those in the healing wings and houses. Lelyre shrugged as they started up the main staircase to where Princess Zelda would be.

"My mother also says that, she has been working with the Princess to find a way to cure him. Nothing works. Sometimes she says it makes it worse. When that happens I know, because she comes home and cries," Lelyre said as they turned down a hallway.

Link swollowed hard before saying "So, he's been banished from Termina?"

"Not at all, he came here after the war. He did go home first, the young King Tanis did not ban him. Funny things are said between friends during war, my father says." Lelyre stopped when Link did, outside the Princess' study. "King Tanis had the healer's try everything; nothing restored the Sheikah General's sight, obviously, as he is still here. When he came here, a long time ago, he asked the Princess Zelda if she could do anything for him. I think they all have hopes though, or he would have gone back home by now. He talks to me about Termina sometimes when I'm practicing in the halls, when no one is around in the afternoons. I like him," Lelyre decided as he stopped one of his infamous monoligue's.

Giving the young Hylian a part on the back, Link nodded as he said "Thanks, Lelyre. Now off you go." Link nodded in the direction of a group, friends that were the same age. Lelyre began to jog to catch up to his friends while waving back at the General. Link knocked twice before entering the study.

"Link, back so soon?" Princess Zelda stood up from behind her desk, motioning to the seat she knew her friend and General favored. "What is the matter?"

"An attack, near our borders."

"Hoblin's?"

"Gerudo's," Link sighed. "They meant to come into our lands and take what they wanted. We were able to reason with them, more or less. I have a list of what they're requesting, it's seem's kind of extravagant." Link handed the list to Zelda as she sat down beside him. "I told them I would see what I could do, but they ask for a lot."

Zelda read through the list a second time before placing it onto the little table beside her. "Times have been hard for some of our neighbor's, what they ask for isn't terribly much. I think we manage."

"With your permission, I will return to the borders at once in the morning," Link said, just about ready to stand. Zelda waved him back down, shifting so she was more comfortable in her seat.

"Hold on Link, I don't think you need to hurry back so fast. I will send a messanger to deliver word to those who are waiting for your answer. Linger here for a while; Sheik has been melonchy as of late. Had I known he was your lover I wouldn't have assigned you to such an extensive tour of border duties."

Link manged to make a face of disbelief without Zelda seeing it as she stood and walked around her desk. She took the list with her, placing it on the dark wood surface before pulling out a clean peace of parchment and scribbling something onto it.

"I was somewhat surprised to have heard it, but my fiance swore to me it wasn't idle gossip. It isnt, is it?" Zelda looked over her shoulder momentarily to Link, who was forced to make a smile as best he could. "It is so good to know my friend is cared for by someone, considering all things. He talks to me so little now days, but he has always joked about no one wanting him because of his disability. I never thought his words to be jokes, but rather, pleas for companionship. He is beautiful to look at, is he not?" Once more Zelda looked up and caught a glimpse of a smile, missing the sad look that had been on Link's face. "Had I not a fiance..." Zelda laughed, filling the room with her clear voice as she rounded the desk once more. "Take some time here, Link. You've more then deserved it, Sheik needs it as well, I can tell. Spend some time with him- ah! When I stop down in the kitchens to have them gather provisions for the Gerudo, I'll ask them for dinner to sent with a good bottle to yours rooms. Now whose room will you be in?" she asked, a gloved hand on the door knob.

"Ah..."

"His of course," she decided herself. "With all of the clutter in your room, he's bound to walk into something and not, you must go to him at once."Zelda instructed, leaving the door open for Link. "Speak with me in the morning; we shall come up with a better work schedule for you. Good afternoon, Lord Link."

"Good... afternoon," Link said as Zelda began walking brsikly down the hallway. In a daze, he walked out of the house and back to the bench, where he sat down, still kind of in shock. It wasn't until he spired a group of soldiers a little way off, who saw him and rushed away in the opposite direction that he dropped his head into his hands.


	4. Chapter 4

**Blind**

**Chapter Four**

* * *

Sheik lounged on his bed, a cat curled around his side when he heard a knock on his door. He shifted slowly, sleepily calling out "It's unlocked."

Taking this as an invitation to enter, Link carefully turned the knob and let himself in. For an early evening, the room was dark, the curtains drawn and no candles lit. What little light that came in from the hallways showed him that there were very neat and wide paths around everything in the first room, which had a simple table and chairs, with a couch for lounging with pillows bunched to one side. At the far end of the room was a large bed, where Sheik had seemingly been having a nap.

"Good evening, I-"

"You're not Zelda!" Sheik sat up suddenly, upsetting the cat from it's comfortable spot. The feline growled her discomfort before slipping down and under the bed. Fumbling with his white cloth on the small table that was beside his bed, Sheik demanded "What in the Goddesses names are you doing here?" He quickly secured the cloth around his eyes as he awaited the General's answer.

Hastily, Link shut the door and stepped a little further into the spacious room. "I wanted to apologize for what I had said earlier to you earlier. It was rather rude of me. Having come from a tiring week, I didn't mean to be so... mean to you."

Sheik seemed to be either giving Link tome to finish, or he himself was thinking rather hard about what he wanted to say. "That is," Sheik finally said, "You didn't mean to be so mean against someone like me."

Link set his jaw as he forcefully said "No. I truly didn't mean to be so mean to you. I came from a difficult situation which at the time had yet to be fixed. I think my choice of words could have been different, but I still would have snapped at you even if I had known you to be blind."

"Oh," was the simple response from Sheik, who had yet to leave the bed.

"Yes, 'oh,' and here I am coming to make my apology, with my words and with a nice dinner and conversation, and you insult me," Link said, crossing his arms over his chest and gave a little huff.

"Well then, accept my sincerest apology, and let us be done with the matter," Sheik offered. "I didn't understand your , we have had forgiveness and conversation so far -- where is the dinner?"

"It is coming," Link promised, where he turned at the knock on the door. "Ah, and here we are. I had them send something from the kitchens."

"Well yeah, where else is food supposed to come from? Anyways, what did you have them bring?" Sheik asked as Link headed for the door.

"I asked them to make it a surprise," Link said, opening the door to find a pair of maids from the kitchen. "Thank you, ladies, but if you'll let me take that, and-"

"Oh, you do not have enough hands for what Lady Zelda had had us bring for you, but here, hold the wine please," a cheerful woman with dark curled hair placed a cool bottle into Link's hands and then helped her counterpart carry the platter she had been balancing. "Save the tarts for last, they've only just been baked," she explaimed excitedly as they moved past the General.

"Lady Zelda also said you should meet with her late in the afternoon, and not feel bad if you must miss your meeting. Breakfast is also to be brought up tomorrow, so when would you like it, my lords?" She asked as they set the platter onto the table.

"Uh..." Link turned his head as he felt a ghost of breath across the back of his neck. Nearly dropping the wine with a start, he just realised how close Sheik was to him. Recovering quickly, he glared at the smirk that graced Sheik's lips.

Still smirking, Sheik said "I take my breakfast early, just as the sun rises."

Link made a gesture as if to say to the pair 'And there you go.' The maids gave each other weird looks, but cheerfully nodded to them and finished setting everything up before exiting the room. When the door was closing, Link turned around and actually did drop the bottle when he came unexpectedly did come face-to-face with Sheik again.

Grasping the bottle's neck just before it hit the ground, Sheik said "Lady Zelda?"

"She, uh, she wanted to make sure we weren't having a hard feeling's about-" Link threw his hands up into the air as Sheik turned away, his shoulders shaking in laughter. "Alright, fine! She believes the rumor you started."

"As does everyone else, it seems," Sheik mused as he ran fingers over the glass covers.

"And whats that supposed to mean?" Link asked as he watched.

"Perhaps nothing, anyways, the dinner's getting cold."

Link slowly came forward, following the Termina Sheikah, who was now dressed in a light robe he had not remembered seeing Sheik in earlier. It was tied loosely, giving no hint as to the build of Link's host.

"You're still going to have dinner with me?"

"I don't plan to shun Lady Zelda's generous hospitality," Sheik said, placing the bottle on the table. "You will need to see to this," he continued, patting the bottle's neck as he reached for a chair. Finding one close to him, he said down. "I have horrible luck with the hazardous corks flying everywhere and breaking things. Or hitting one of the cats."

As if on cue, a silver tabby cat leaned up against Link's right leg and let out a soft, pretty pur. "How many cats do you have?" Link asked, reaching for the bottle and picking up a corkscrew.

"Two," Sheik said as he leaned over the table and breathed in deeply. "That I know of anyways, but sometimes I think they bring home strays. Is there a dish over there with chicken in it?" he asked, waving his right hand above the table.

"To the left a bit," Link said, who could see the contents through the glass covers. "Now your hand is over the cover."

"Thank you," Sheik said, lifting the cover and expirementally poking a finger into the dish to see what was inside -- chunks of chicken simmered in ginger and various other spices, and served over brown rice. "Stellar's the troublemaker who likes to pretend she's cute. Charisma's the fat one," he fished out a piece of chicken, shook off the rice and popped it into his mouth.

"The... Oh, the cats," Link said as he nodded. He managed to remove the cork without injuring anyone, or anything, and poured Sheik a glass before pouring himself one. "Would you like to fix you a plate?" Link asked, but Sheik just shook his head, making Link watch the tumble of wavy, marigold blonde hair.

"I eat very little now days, besides, my hands are very clean if thats what you're wondering." Sheik licked the two fingers he had picked the chicken out and held his hand up. "See?"

Link couldn't help but laugh before saying "What is that? Some trick you learned from your cats? Lick your fingers clean?"

Sheik shrugged and began to walk his fingers across the table until he came across his glass of wine. "I thought it was funny," he sipped from the glass and continued saying "I would eat 'civilly', but quite often my food runs around my plate and torment me by hiding. It's quite frustrating actually.

"I don't mind, really," Link said as he sat down. It was when he reached for a utensil is when he realised there had been none brought. "Well, I guess if you can do it then so can I." He lifted the cover off one bowl of steaming veggies, all of them cut into fairly large chunks. "I guess Lady Zelda is used to your eating habits."

"She puts up with it; stopped inviting me to formal dinners a long time ago. At least she lets me eat up here instead of behind the stables now days." When Sheik heard Link stop eating, he added "That was a joke."

"Why do you keep putting yourself down?" Link asked as he searched Sheik's face for the answer.

Drinking from his glass that he now supported with both hands, he said "It usually puts others at ease around me."

"I don't like it," Link decided. An uncomfortable silence filled the gap between the two males until Charisma came in, swaggering with a discontent meow that he hadn't been invited to dinner. The large cat sauntered over to the table and flopped down by it on the floor.

"Am I correct when I assume you met with the Princess earlier?" Sheik's voice was humorless and he now concentrated in drinking his wine rather then eating.

Link wiped his fingers clean with a napkin and threw it onto the table. "Yes, we met earlier. I needed to tell her about what was happening in the forests; we came across some Gerudo's, who wanted to come into the valley and gather what povisions they are lacking in. They are having trouble with crops and the hunting game is scarce, so Lady Zelda said to give them what they asked for."

"Am I also correct when I assume my name came up?"

With a sigh, Link leaned back in his chair and said "Sheik. I don't know whats happened between you and my men, but whatever it was, why would you not come to me about it rather then form some fanciful story about us being togather?"

"I didn't," Sheik said, defending himself as he grabbed for the wine bottle. "Whatever tales they're telling each other, those soldiers and smiths, lords and ladies, the fishers, the stables hands and the housewives. I only meant to tease your shoulders and only said 'And what if we are.' Or something like that. I never meant to harm or make a fool of you. I'm sorry," Sheik said, toying with the stem of his glass before taking a sip. "They insulted mem my dignity, whats left of it anyways. I was like them once," Sheik said, swirling the contents of his glass around before turning his head in the general direction of where Link sat. "Young, brave, strong, and able to fight, traind to defend. They mocked that; I ignored them best to my abilities, but there is a point when one goes too far."

"And they did just that," Link said quietly.

"Yes, they did."

Link carefully chose his next words, considering all of Sheik's words. "How would you like to continue this charade we have going?"

"To what end?" Sheik asked before taking another sip of his wine.

"To whatever end it comes to, I guess. To teach those brat's a lesson, and if they are the soldiers I think they, the soldiers of the city, they have long had this coming to them. They only seem to fear me, but if they thought we're lovers, maybe that'll make them fear you. Think of it," Link said as he leaned forward. "The power you could have over them." Link smiled to himself as he relaxed further into the chair. "Not to mention I'll have the biggest laugh, watching them trip over each other to stay on your good side. What do you say, Sheik? Are you up to the game?"

Raising his glass, Sheik said "To whatever end it comes to, I'm game."

And they drank to those words.


	5. Chapter 5

**Blind**

**Chapter Five**

* * *

Link stretched his arms over his head and yawned. "I guess I should get going," he said, tilting the wine bottle to and fro to find they had emptied it.

"We still have the issue of breakfast," Sheik said, reminding Link of their breakfast order and what time it was set for. "If you leave now someone is going to see you and that would ruin our little plan. Now, you could crawl through the window, scale down the side of building, wedge your window open, climb in, wake up early, toss a rope up here for me to catch, climb back up-"

"I think I'll stay on the couch," Link suggested as he thought about that grand plan.

A smirk graced Sheik's lips before he said "Alright." he stood up and took hold of his walking stick. Leaving Link at the table, he made his way to the bed where he leaned his walking stick against the wall. "There should be some blankets and a pillow inside that chest there, right infront of the bed. If you would like them anyways."

With the only candle Link could find, the General began his search for the designated objects. Sheik felt along the blankets of the bed, shoving them his search, Link kept one eye trained on the past Sheikah warrior. He saw the slipping of the dark robe, momentarily distracted as he watched it from the corner of his eye as it pooled around Sheik's feet. His eyes lingered on the darkly tanned skin, admiring the sight of the muscles working beneath taut skin as Sheik stretched. The single candlelight casted a beautiful, soft glow on Sheik's muscular and lean body, built like a whip chord to be strong and fast.

"Ow!" Link nearly dropped his solitary candle as the wax dripped along his thumb and first finger, sliding to the back of his hand. Quickly switching hands, he began to blow on it to cool the hot, liquid wax.

"Is something wrong?"

Sheik was in bed now, and Link silently cursed the candle and it's wax. "No, I'm fine. Just a little burn from the candle wax," he said as he put the candle into a single holder before placing both onto a small table. "Ah, now here's that blanket and pillow," Link closed the chest and was careful not to trip on the trailing blanket. Spreading it out onto the couch, he settled down and rested his weight on one elbow and blew the candle out. While laying there, Link kicked off his puts and pulled off most of his decorative clothing. He tossed everything onto the floor and snuggled into the blanket.

"Comfortable?"

"Are you being sarcastic?"

Sheik chuckled a little before saying "Just a little. Well, good night."

"Good night."

As Link began to doze off into sleep, was pounced onto by Stellar, who began to pace back and forth across his chest and stomach, as if looking for the best spot to sleep. Slowly tip-toing across the back of his left leg, she found his uncovered feet and began to lap at his big toe.

Lap...

Lap...

Lap...

Bite!

With an undignified scream Link pulled his feet under the blanket and shoved Stellar from her perch at his feet. The General reached under the blanket and began to prode at his injury while glaring into the darkness in the direction Sheik's muffled laughter could be heard. Probably by a pillow...

"So, you think thats funny, do you?"

"You are the one who decided to take her couch."

"Her couch is it?" Stellar leapt back on top of Link, walking along his back and digging her claws in with each step. It caused him to wince as he said "Ow, ow, ow... No, you can't... No, bad little girl, no... Ow..." Link scrunched up his nose as she stretched out along his front and began to swat at his face. "Does she do this all night?"

Sheik made a noise, something that souned kind of kissy-like, making Stellar sit up, ears alert. "Stellar, come here you naughty little kitten." The silver tabby leapt down, earning another wince from Link. Moments later she was being praised by Sheik, about how she was such a _good girl_ and the like.

"And parents wonder why children are so spoiled now days," Link grumbled as he snuggled further into the blanket.

* * *

  
"Don't even think about it."

The guard slid his foot back to it's proper place, away from where he had placed it to trip Sheik. "I don't have any idea what you're talking about," he said, making a face at Sheik. The other guards that were standing by all snickered as they watched.

"Do I have to go find Link and talk to him about this?" he said, leaning heavily onto his walking stick.

"I don't know, do you?" the guard replied carelessly. "Because quite hoenstly I don't believe any of this; the gossip that says you two are 'togather.' If you ask me, which no one has, I would say it was all a big game for you." The guard left out the fact that most of him and his friends had been very careful when aroun Sheik, and avoiding Link when they could. The morning after Link had left Sheik's rooms, he had called the house guards and giving them a lecture. As the days went by, the day of the royal ball for the guests and nobles came closer, no one had seen the two togather, some going as far as to say they were seemingly avoiding one another.

Sheik stood up straight and shrugged, taking on the casual tone the guard was using when he said "I don't care what you think, but it still doesn't excuse your behavior."

"My behavior?" the guard asked, dramatically placing a hand to his chest as he looked to his fellows with mocked shock. "At least I don't have to pretend to have a lover." His feigned surprise turned to malicious smirk as he listened to the soft laughter around him, the guards laughing at Sheik's expense. The Sheikah from Termina turned away, hoping the unseen tears in his covered eyes wouldn't seep through the pure white cloth of his folded wrappings. With a shaky step forward, he bit his lower lip as the laughter grew in volume.

"Honey, Sheik, please stay," Link's voice went from sweet with Sheik to commanding as he turned to his guards. "Attention!" He watched with satisfaction as the men stood still, arms at their sides, feet togather and their eyes forward.

"How sickening! That men from honorable houses and resepectable parents would pick on someone like Sheik." He looked each one in the eye as Sheik swiveled his head to keep track of where Link was. "Against my better judgement I listened to the House Guard's Commander in keeping you all here. After seeing this display, I'm honestly quite sick of seeing you. I'm done with it; you're all being assigned one year each to border guard." At a snort he rounded on the unfortunate soldier and snarled "Five years." Puffing out his chest he challenged all of them and continued "Does anyone want to make it ten?"

"No, sir!"

"Then you had better start packing."

The men scattered, some heading for the houses as other's went to various other back to Sheik, he said "Well, I guess that takes care of that." Link paused for a sigh as he looked down on the slightly shorter frame of Sheik, noting he was wearing another set of dark robes. "I guess I could have saved us the trouble by doing that earlier." He slowly approached Sheik and hesitantly touched a hand to Sheik's shoulder.

"I guess," Sheik mused as he tilted his head in the direction of Link's voice.

"Well, it's been a great time. Maybe we could get togather again, maybe a dinner, or perhaps a ball sometime. You know, laugh about all of this," Link said, gently squeezing Sheik's shoulder.

"What?"

Stepping a little closer, a bit too far into Sheik's personal space as Link whispered "We don't need to keep pretending, seeing as how I just sent them all away."

Sheik swallowed hard before saying "Oh, of course not." Biting at his lower lip again, he bowed his head to keep the sad thoughts from drifting across his features. Without the cloth Sheik was as easy to read as a book. "I'll... I'll miss our tims togather," he finally said, turning his back to Link.

"Sheik," Link said as he grabbed both of Sheik's shoulders. Without turning him, Link rested his chin on the Sheikah's left shoulder and whispered "Do you want to... Do you think we should continue with this nonsense? Only for a little longer?"

"I'm afraid... That if we stop they'll only come back and be harsher on me. They will be back every few weeks on leave; I won't be left alone. I can only imagine the torment they will out me through when they return. I never used to leave my rooms as often as I do now, and... I've never really had someone to talk to." Turning so quickly, Sheik wrapped his arms around Link's torso under his arms as the General held the Sheikah. PLeading with as much dignity as he could, Sheik whispered "Link, please, just a little longer. Until I have time to talk to Zelda, and Prince Kith is coming in a month. Just a month; what is that to a Hylian? Please? Besides, you said you liked the couch," Sheik added as he remembered a previous conversation.

"Alirhgt, fine, I'll do it-"

"Thank you-"

"-For a price."

"Okay, whatever you want -- wait, what?"

"A kiss," Link raised a brow as Sheik took a step back. "Or, a small trinket."

"All I have with me is a simple ring..." Sheik mumbled it to himself as he helf up his left hand, showing a simple silver ring. Eye-balling Sheik's slender fingers, Link nodded and gently took the Sheikah's hand into his own. There was a small red stone set into the center, with two tiny blue gems hugging the red one's sides. Aside from the three stones it was simple and small, from which Link would never hope to fit his large fingers into unless he was ten all over again.

"Thank you," Link said, a small smile spreading across his lips as he looped a chain through the ring. He began walking away, a skip in his step as he put on the ringed necklace and wore it over his tunic to show everyone.


	6. Chapter 6

**Blind**

**Chapter Six**

* * *

Zelda looked up from the paper she was reading when she heard a soft knock at her study door. Looking back to finish the paragraph, she figured she already knew who was at the door. Only one person she knew knocked so quietly, as if afraid of imposition. Getting up and walking around her desk to the door, she turned to the knob. Her stature softened as she was proven right, looking evenly into the blind-folded face of Sheikah General leaned on his walking stick with both hands, a small, nervous smile touching his lips.

"General, nice to see you again."

"Hello Lady Zelda," Sheik said as he bowed his head slightly. "I hope I'm not intruding."

"Oh please, come in," Zelda moved aside so Sheik could enter her study. The Sheikah swept his cane left and right in front of him, walking slowly before standing still at the very center of the room, right before Zeldas impressive dark oak desk.

Sheik turned so he was facing the direction Zelda's voice was, patiently waiting for the royal to close the door. "I wanted to say thank you, for letting Lin-my lover stay here. I know it must be difficult to replace someone like him when he's so needed on the border's," Sheik stammered as the unfamiliar words tumbled from his lips. "For allowing him some extra time here in the city."

"Well, it was a bit difficult, but I managed to re-arrange the scheduale," Zelda said as she walked back to her desk.

"But it did cause problems," Sheik stated bluntly as he remembed how it used to be when one of his captains suddenly needed a leave from duty.

Zelda wearily watched Sheik as she carefully said "I will not lie, Sheik. It's a bit hard having him here when he could be of more use somewhere else. But we'll manage."

"I just don't want to be a burdan; I don't want Link here simply for my sake."

Zelda placed a hand on her hip, saying "I'm not sure I understand what you are trying to tell me, Sheik."

"I'm just saying I think you should assign Link back to the borders. He need to be there more then here," Sheik bowed his head before turning at the sound of a door opening.

"Sheik, Sheik!" A little girl came in, blonde pig-tails bobbing up and down as she came running over to fist a small hand into Sheik's robes. "Look! I have a new dolly!"

Sheik bit his lip for a moment before saying "She is very beautiful, young Lady Ari." The small girl beamed at Sheik before turning to smile at her older cousin Zelda. A moment longer and she was running for the door again, skipping and skipping a common Hylian song.

"If you think you're sure, Sheik," Zelda said, watching her younger cousin close the door.

"I am."

"Then I shall take it into consideration," Zelda gently took Sheik's arm and began leading him to the door.

"And if you don't mind, Zelda, I would preffer it if you didn't talk about our little conversation here," Sheik said as he stepped through the door Zelda had just opened.

"It's between us," she agreed. In a low voice she added "Sometimes we must keep things from those we love when we must."

Sheik nodded his thanks before turning away from the door, still contemplating his now missing ring. Unconciously he ran his fingers over the pale skin where it had once rested for the better part of some previous years.

* * *

  
"Now Sheik, I've gone along with all of your schemes, so you have to do this for me," Link said as he nervously fidgeted with the end of the white table cloth as Zelda made her nightly announcements before dinner. despite having eaten earlier in Sheik's rooms, Link had convinced the other rather easily to join the rest of the house hold, guests and residents alike. Link held a spot at the main table with Zelda and other's, but there was always a few seats for visiting relations and honored guest's.

Only minutes earlier Lady Zelda had floated over and casually told Link he would be going back to the borders as ink was helping Sheik find a seat.

Tomorrow.

Leaning in close to Sheik, Link whispered not lover's words, but for only Sheik to hear "Sheik, please help me. I must admit I have become spoiled, not sleeping on the dirt or riding in the boiling hot sun or the pouring down rain." Link paused as he stroked the back of waist-long, wheaty gold hair lovingly. "Just..." Link's eyes widened a little as he continued "Just pout a little at dinner and make a fuss that I'm leaving tomorrow. Make Zelda think you'll miss me too dearly for now." Link leaned a little closer so his breath was ghosting over Sheik's ear. "Just a little longer, like for a month or so. You know, like our talk before, just a month, please Sheik-"

"Wine?" a young server asked, standing behind the pair. Link pulled away from Sheik long enough to hold first his cup for the wine and then Sheik's empty cup to the server. As Link lowered the two cups, one of Sheik's slender hands wrapped around his. Zelda was just sitting down as Sheik leaned close to Link, their nose's almost touching.

"Must you leave me so soon?"

"I-I'm afraid so," Link confirmed. He cast his eyes down sadly, sneaking a peak at the other table residents. The Hylian General set the wine on the table but Sheik had yet to let go of his gauntleted hand. "But I shall write you every chance I get."

"Everyday?"

Link had to surpress a smirk as he replied "Every chance I have, love." Link removed his hand from his goblet and raised Sheik's to his lips. "Every moment I shall think about seeing you again." The delicate kiss he placed on Sheik's ringless finger caught more then one Hylian's eye, filling the room with the whispers of what was going on between Link and Sheik.

"I'll miss you," Sheik said before swallowing hard before shakily raising his goblet and draining half of it in a few gulps. Setting the goblet back down, he tilted his head to catch the sounds of the first couse being served. He gave a sniffle as Link offered to butter his bread for him.

"Is something the matter, General Sheik?" asked one of Zelda's advisors, Lady Alhara.

"No, it's just that..." Sheik let out a small sob and reached for the napkin in his lap to dab away tears from under his white blind-fold. "It is just so hard, being on my own and all. It's been so long since I last felt like I truly belonged somewhere. With no one here for me, I shall once again fade into the background and - Link, I'm sorry but I must go back to my rooms. Join me soon, love?" he turned to face Link, making a show of his slightly trembling lip.

Link was back at Sheik's side in a moment, saying "I would rather us be togather, for my last night here. With you alone in y-our rooms. Lady Zelda, if you'd excuse us please." Link wrapped one arm around Sheik's slim waist as he held Sheik's hand in the other. Tucked close to one another, they left swiftly with Link leading a tearful Sheik from the dining halls.

At the head table, a miffed and confused Zelda stared after them until she turned to her advisor, who gave her a vicious kick to the shins with her heeled slipper.

"How could you do that to those two?" she demanded as she readied for another kick before being given one in return. "Oww... But none the less, it can't hurt as much as Sheik's aching heart as Link packs everything to leave in the morning. If I were you..."


	7. Chapter 7

**Blind**

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

"You," Link began as he shuffled Sheik into the room before closing the door, "Were magnificent. You nearly had me believing you, thats how well you were preforming." He turned to see Sheik walking quietly to his desk, which was usually bare except for the two books Sheik carried with him everywhere. "Sheik?" Link slowly came forward, seeing the Sheikah sit down and pull one of the books closer. Link took note it was the blue-dyed leather bound volume that was slightly larger then the red, slimmer but similiar clothed book.

The only sound Link heard as he stepped up behind Sheik was the casual and slow flipping of the red book's heavy pages. "Sheik, come on, please. Talk to me; you haven't said anything since we left the hall. Did I do something wrong?" Link came closer and raised a hand to the loosely tied hair, pulling the strands from Sheik's face to tuck them behind slightly pointed ears. "If I've offended you in someway, please tell me so I can fix it." He hesitantly leaned forward, brushing his lips against Sheik's cheek in a soft kiss. The turning of the pages stopped as Sheik tensed and moved half a stp away from Link.

"Please don't do that."

"I-I'm sorry," Link said, his chest tightening as he stepped away from Sheik. "Is that whats bugging you?" Sheik closed the heavy book while turning further away from the Hylian General. A little quiter, in a more somber voice, he continued "I guess it would be silly of me to think, that maybe some time soon, that there was a real attraction between us. You really don't like me that much, do you?"

"What? No, of course not." Sheik sighed. "It really should be me apologizing. I should have never involved you with my problems."

"Oh, get me wrong; I'm happy you did," Link admitted as he stepped closer again. "Very happy that you did," he continued, intent on kissing the mysterious Sheikah as he leaned closer. "Can't you understand that every time we play with the other's that I'm falling in love with you?" he revealed, resting his chin on the Sheikah's shoulder after whispering his secret to the other General.

"No, Link, please don't." Sheik turned around and gently pushed Link away. Link's hurt look went unseen by Sheik, who continued with "You're not allowed to fall in love with me."

"Why?"

"Because I'm blind!" Sheik buried his face into his arms, waist-long hair and volumious sleeves hiding him. "Because -- Because, Link, just because!"

"But Sheik, I-"

"Link-"

Both were cut off from the knock at the door. Swallowing hard to fight back his tears, Link walked to the door. Composing himself as best he could, he opened it to see Lady Zelda standing in the hallway. Her arms were crossed and he looked quite contemptous.

"Lady Alhara and I have agreed thats it's best, for the mental health of all partis involved, that you stay here in the city for another year at least. It would give the time you need to finish all of those over-due paperwork for me. Also, while you are here, I would suggest that you send your training commander out to take over your duties on the border patrol, and see to his here in the city." Sneaking a peek over Link's shoulder, she saw Sheik straightening and placing the books down on the desk again. "Is he going to be alright?"

"Fine yes, he'll be fine. And your plan, it works just as fine too," Link bowed his head slightly to the Princess. "Thanks, I should go back to him, tell him the good news and all. I'm sure he'll... Well, I'll come talk to you tomorrow," Link promised, closing the door after bidding good night to Zelda.

Sheik was still at his desk, head bowed as he ran a finger down the spine of the blue book. Link ran a hand down the waist-long hair until the Sheikah General raised his head. "Can I ask you something?" Almost hesitantly, Sheik nodded. "Why do you only have these two books?"

Sheik pasued, seemingly trying to find an answer. It didn't seem to be the kind of question Sheik had been prepared for. "I used to love to read; when I left Termina, I brought these volumes with me. One is from the library; I didn't have a chance to finish it before I left. King Tanis was kind enough to allow me to keep it. The other book is from Prince Kith, one I had given him a long time ago." Sheik took up the slim, blue-bound book and held it out to Link.

"Nursery Tales; Stories and Poems for Children," Link smiled. "That was sweet of the prince."

"There was a reason for it." Sheik took the book back and turned the pages quickly, until he reached a thin sheet which he drew back to reveal a painted illustration. "I may not be able to read the words anymore, but I can 'read' the pictures." His slender fingers followed the brush strokes, his imagination easily picturing which he was reading. "This one is 'The Old Inn'; I can tell right away from the cow." Sheik's fingers traced a small black angus calf with a white face, leaping for the silver cresent that was the moon in the sky. "Here is the inn... the dish and spoon... the cat and his fiddle." Sheik's fingers found each item on the page, a smile slowly forming on his lips. "I like to sit outside with them and pretend I can read the words, but at least I can read the pictures."

All the while Link had been silently crying, tears dripping down his face and onto the collar of his tunic. "Has no one asked to read the rest to you?" Sheik gave no answer, ignoring the tremble in Link's voice if he noticed. "Would you want me to?"

"I don't think thats a good idea," the Sheikah said, drawing the other volume close to his chest.

Link shifted his weight between his feet, not liking the uncomfortable and awkward silence that had fallen in the room. With a start, Link suddenly asked "Do you like horses?"

Sheik's answer was immediate "Do I ever. I used to have the most beautiful black stallion, darker then night with a cresent between his eyes. Curious thing he was, used to follow me into the forect when we would go on foot to look around. One minute it would be me and my soldiers, the next he would be right behind me, creeping with the rest of us. Crazy horse."

"What was his name?"

Sheik smirked as he tilted his head up, "Jackass. Maybe, I never truly named him, but I used to call him that often enough. Poor guy, fell in the last battle. He left quickly at least."

"Would you want to come riding with me some time?" Link tried not to lean in, trying hard not to be too hopeful. But being shut up in Sheik's rooms for so long and often over the past few weeks was beginning to bloom a flower of desire to be outside again.

"I can't, Link. I wouldn't be able to see where I'm going."

"I was thinking that we might share a horse. Do you have any riding clothes?" he asked, not planning on letting Sheik slip from the plan forming in his mind.

The Sheikah shook his head while saying "All I have are robes -- robes, robes and more robes." He actually sighed as he turned his head in the direction of his closet.

Link furrowed his brow as he asked "You seem unhappy about that. Why don't you have the tailer make you other things?"

"I used too. But Lady Alhara was kind enough to explain that my appearance was horrible. It was always wrinkled, or I somehow managed to button my tunic wrong so it would be lopsided. People laughed, but I didn't hear them. I am grateful that she said soemthing, but smetimes I think I may have been better off not knowing how much of a fool I was." Sheik scratched behind his ear, continuing "So I switched to the robes; which are more mangable and never wrinkle. I don't have anything suitable for riding as far as I know."

"I think we can fix that," Link said as he formulated a plan. "I think you're pretty much the same height and built as Lelyre, the young musician. I'm pretty sure he'll lend you something. No wait here, don't run away or anything, I shall return."


	8. Chapter 8

**Blind**

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

"I would be more then happy to let him use whatever he needs," Lelyre answered when Link caught him up outside of the house he shared with his parents.

"Thanks Lelyre."

"We may have a problem though..." Lelyre added as he opened the door and lead Link further inside to his room. Pulling the closet door open, Lelyre motioned to the various bright and pastel coloured garments. "He is always so somber -- He won't mind wearing something so colourful, right?"

"Well..." Link reached out and took hold of a plain, white cotton shirt, a pair of seersucker blue leggings and a tunic of dark blue with silver detailing. "I shall simply take this black shirt, these black pants, and this totally black tunic," he said to Lelyre's laughter, "And hope they earn Sheik's approval."

* * *

"Nearly dressed?"

"Almost," came the muffled reply from the bathroom door. "Jeez, I forgot how much more involved these things were," he continued. Sheik had insisted on dressing himself, making Link wonder whether he was simply independant or hoping to stall the inevitable. While continuing to wait, Link spied Sheik's two books on the desk. Looking cautiously around the room, as if Sheik might have little spies somewhere, he creeped up t the red one and quickly scooped it up. He barely managed to squeeze the volumious binder into the hidden pocket of his cape as Sheik came around the bathroom door.

"Did I put my feet through the arms of the tunic or something?" he asked when Link didn't talk.

"Only on the left side," Link joked as Sheik came to the desk and sat down before reaching for where the heavier volume had lain. "Here, let me get those for you," Link was quick to offer, pretending to have pulled the first book away, and then closing the second one and taking hold of the remaining book. "Are they coming with us today?"

"No, I just wanted to put them away so the cat's don't fool around with them."

"Ah. Just great," Link opened one of the desk drawers, and finding it empty he placed the smaller, blue volume inside. "Mkay then, are we ready?"

* * *

  
Lelyre had taken the time to get Epona ready for the pair of Generals, so the horse was waiting for them at the entrance of the house when they walked out into the early evening sun. "Just a short ride," Link promised as he hopped down the last of the stairs and bringing his horse close to the bottom of the steps so Sheik would just have to mount simply by sliding ontop from the top stair. Link did a double take as Sheik was gone. "Sheik?"

A moment later and the other General mounted smoothly with practiced ease from the opposite side. "Aren't you coming?"

"Cheeky bastard," Link grumbled to the horse, who snorted as if in agreement to her master. "Sheik, this is Epona, the fastest but most spoiled horse on this side of Hyrule. Epona, this is Sheik." Epona turned her pretty dished head to Sheik and nodded her welcome with a pretty little whinny before facing forward again.

"Very nice to meet you too, Epona," Sheik replied as Link swung himself up behind Sheik.

"To the river, Epona," Link said as he gently touched her flanks with his heels. "Gently," he added to himself as the blood bay mare reared slightly before turning herself around.

"Gently? Well, what good is that? I'm sure if we had walked, we would have-"

With a scowl, Link reached his hand behind him and gave the mare's rump a a sharp slap. The force of Epona suddenly breaking into a gallop pushed Sheik against Link, whose hands were firmly hugging the Sheikah's waist while his legs kept a grip on the horse so neither would fall off.

"I'm sorry," Link playfully said as Sheik relaxed against him a little. "Should I slow us down?"

"Slow us down? Can't we go any faster?"

With a grin, Link shouted for Epona to fly like the wind.


	9. Chapter 9

**Blind**

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

"I really like this spot," Link said as he dismounted from behind Sheik. The Hylian General offered the Sheikah his arm, as his walking stick had been left behind at the house and began to lead Sheik to the edge of the river. Numorous rocks laid here and there, each large enough to seat two or three people or one to lounge across were scattered here and there among the grove of willow tree's. Link led Sheik to the one closest to the water's edge. "I used to come here after patrols, sometimes to think. Other's just to be alone." With a sly look that Sheik missed, Link continued "This used to be a popular spot for young lover's to come and swim or group's of children to come and play, but the snakes have kept a lot of them away."

"I can see how that would ruin a romantic evening," Sheik dryly said as he hoisted himself up onto the rock.

Link chuckled before promising "We won't stay long."

Sheik nodded as he turned his head this way and that way. "I wish I had my books with me," he said wistfully. "This would be such a nice place to sit with them."

Link fidgeted for a moment before confessing "Well, actually-"

"Ha! I knew it! You're a little thief!" Sheik jabbed at Link's side, causing the Hylian to nearly fall off the rock as he doubled over with laughter. "I thought you took my-" Sheik trailed off, expirementally poking Link in the ribs this time. Link promptly shuffled away from Sheik, off the rock and further onto the grass. "You're ticklish!"

"Shh!" Link laughed as he scooted over when Sheik slid from the rock. "Not so loud! What do you want, everyone in Hyrule to hear you?"

"How ticklish are you?" Sheik said, leaping from what was left to scale the rock and catching Link by the legs. Link squirmed under Sheik, hands uprooting tufts of grass as he tried t get away from the tormenting Sheik. "Hmm?" Sheik's fingers drifted to Link's stomach and sides, wriggling as they danced across the Hylian's sensative nerves.

"Very! Very ticklish! Stop, stop it!" Link squirmed, trying to yank himself away. "Stop!" Grabbing for Sheik to restrain his wrist's, the pair of General's rolled back and forth until Link reached blindly for for the white bandages that Sheik wore as a mask. Very quickly he found himself on his back, his lungs trying to fill with the precious air that Sheik had knocked right out of him.

"Don't touch that again." Sheik, disoriented, sat himself up and reached around to adjust the white bandages that covered his eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"My fault," Link apologized as he settled up next to Sheik after finally catching his breath again. "Whew, you hit pretty damn hard," he continued, rubbing where Sheik had struck.

Sheik straightened himself, his chin tilting to the sky with pride as he said "I was a warrior once."

"Yeah, I know. I just seem to keep forgetting that," Link pulled his cloak from the rock and retrieved Sheik's book.

"Here, and I'm sorry for taking it. I thought you might want me to read it to you while we were out here."

Sheik turned his head away from Link as he said "I don't think you'll want to read it."

"Don't say that, I actually would like reading it to you," Link said as he frowned. "Where did you leave off?" he asked, opening the book randomly.

"Page three forty-nine," Sheik whispered, biting his bottom lip. "Somewhere around the middle or there abouts."

"I'll start at the top to refresh your memory," Link offered as he turned the pages until he found three forty-nine. His eyes skimmed across the bold, black words and his voice caught in his throat as he looked to Sheik.

"Bad idea," Sheik mumbled as he groped around for the book and pulled it from Link's hold. "I shouldn't have let you see that."

"Now I'm sure about it," Link whispered as he eye-balled the book Sheik hugged to his chest. "That this was fated for us from one of the Three Goddesses."

"Pfft," Sheik said as he turned away from Link some more. "It's only a coincidence. Besides, Goddesses don't mess around with people who pretend to be lover's." His fingers caressed the spine of the book, gently running over the golden words of the title and author until Link removed it from his grasp and set it aside.

"A coincidence that you last read of me?" Link asked, his chest tightening again as he thought more about it. Sheik didn't even sound convinced about it. "A coincidence that here we are, perhaps not accidentally together?" Link had never been one to put all faith into the Three, but Sheik wasn't a mere dream of times of old, when love was the stuff made from fairy dust and fantasies from books. Slowly, intent on not spooking Sheik, the Hylian tilted Sheik's chin towards him. "Sheik?"

Sheik leaned across Link, feeling around for his book. As soon as he had a hold of it, he pulled it into his lap and said "I think we should be getting back to the castle."

* * *

  
The ride home was a slow trot, neither general saying anything until they left Epona at the stables. "Thanks for the ride today," Sheik whispered as they walked down the hallays to his rooms. The blind Sheikah missed the almost innocent interpretation Link took it for as he he smirked.

"You're welcome," as his simple reply as he continued thinking about it. As they rounded the last corner, they almost collided with Zelda. Link protectively drew Sheik closer, and was silently thankful he wasn't pushed away. "Lady Zelda, nice to see you again."

"Good evening's to both of you, General's. I'm glad to see you're looking well," she said, taking a good look at Sheik. With a small smile she continued "The two-toned blue of your outfit suits you well, Sheik." Link inwardly cringed but smiled as she said "I won't keep you two further more, so good night." The Princess soon rounded the corner, a small trail of rosy pink silk behind her.

Biting his lower lip, Link took Sheik's arm to lead them back to his rooms. Reaching for the door's handle, a bandaged hand gripped onto his and held it tightly. "Blue? You said these were black."

"I -- Uh..." Link managed to open the door and pulled the Sheikah inside before shutting it hurriedly. "Oh, oh umm... Well, in _this_ light, it is very dark blue, very close to black and-"

Sheik managed to find and light a candle on the main table.

"Well! With this light... it... it does make it a lighter hue, and-" Link stepped back from the advancing Sheik, his back hitting the door. The Hylian suspested his Sheikah companion was narrowing his eyes beneath his starched white bandages. Swallowing hard before deicing to come clean, he said "Well, I couldn't have you wearing all black; you're look like the kitchen staff."

"Yesterday," Sheik looked smug as he smirked, "You might have gotten away with this."

"B-But today?"

"Today," Sheik's smirk turned into a grin, "I know you're ticklish."


	10. Chapter 10

**Blind**

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

"Are you sure it's not some sort of trickey?" Tanis questioned as he lazily stared up at the sky. Across from his lying form, Zelda and Lhara sat before him, hands folded carefully over their flowered dresses. Zelda glanced over at her advisor, waiting to see her response as Alhara bit into a strawberry and offered the remainder to the Princess.

"They look so much in love when I see them together," she said as Zelda took the offered berry into her mouth.

Tanis looked to the two women with a raised eyebrow before saying "Really. Well, I'm sure Sheik hasn't lost any of his skills in the time being here, seeing as how he seems to string the two of you along perfectly." He narrowed his critical, midnight blue eyes at Zelda before asking "What do you think, Lady Zelda?"

"I wondered at first," she admitted as Alhara offered another strawberry. "But I think I was wrong, but still. Their relationship seems strained or careful about their words."

"I would bet anything that they are both in love in the only way two soldiers could be, and anyone should be happy for their companionship," Alhara said as she spied Zelda's cousin creeping through the tall grass, who was hunting little grass-hoppers and pretty butterflies.

"And I," Tanis spoke as he sat himself up and began a search through the picnic basket in front of Alhara, "Would say they have both pulled the wool quite neatly over your eyes." Finding a branch of plump, swelling, purple grapes, Tanis settled back onto the ground to stare at the shapes of the clouds and nibble at his newly found treat. Plucking them one-by-one, he sometimes raised his hand to offer either lady one.

"Shall we ask them to join us?" Zelda suggested. "Then you might be able to observe them yourself and draw a conclusion from that."

Againa, Tanis sat up and spied what Zelda was carefully watching from the corner of her eye. The pair of their conversation came around a corner, slowly walking around the bend as if they were merely relaxing in the gardens. "Ah, yes. That would seem suitable to my curiousity," the Prince said before popping another grape into his mouth. Standing, he handed the now sparse branch to Zelda while saying "I shall go and ask them."

"Thank you ever so, Prince," Zelda teased as she dumped the grapes into the basket. With a smile, Tanis, who had begun to stand up, sat back down and raised Zelda's hand to his lips. Motioning for Alhara to come forward, he delicately kissed her cheek while Zelda watched with a perfectly arched, raised eyebrow. When legolas finally stood and began to walk away, both female's watched with feigned disinterest as he approuched the two General's.

* * *

  
"Sheik, Tanis is coming this way."

A snort was his reply.

"Oh, right. You heard them, didn't you?"

"I heard him and everything they were saying," Sheik whispered quietly as Link took them to a slow stop, Sheik leaning on his walking stick. "Prince Tanis, it is always a pleasure to be reunited after a lengthy time away from each other," Sheik stated in a clear voice as Tanis stopped in front of the pair.

"Sheik, I have missed your songs in the halls of my father just as much as I missed you," Tanis replied. "You have long been a stranger to Termina. I do hope you'll at least visit us soon. And General Link." Tanis extended his hand to the Hylian, who had been looking at Sheik with new interest with the mentioning of 'songs'. "I want to personally thank you for alleviating my dear friend's grief." Tanis took a bolder move and walked into a hug with Sheik, who readily wrapped his arms around the torso of the Prince.

"Prince Tanis, it's a pleasure to finally meet you," Link gritted his teeth as Tanis released Sheik from his hold but exchanged it for holding the Sheikah's hand. Link was about to narrow his eyes when Tanis took the other hand and began to lead Sheik towards their picnic. "Umm..."

"Oh, by the way. Link, this is me inviting the two of you to our picnic lunch," Tanis said as he stopped in his tracks, causing Sheik to turn his head in the general direction of Link. Link looked towards the two seated Ladies, where Alhara spotted Link looking and lazily waved a hand to him.

Waving back before gently holding onto Sheik's shoulder, Link quietly said "Do you want to join them? It's-"

"The Lady Zelda, her advisor Alhara and the little Princess Ari," Sheik answered, a little annoyed as Link smiled sheepishly. "Yes, I would like to join them." Shrugging off Link's hand, Sheik fell into step with Tanis and allowed the foreign prince to wrap an arm around his slim waist. The two spoke of Termina while Link hung back, hands shoved into his pockets as he followed them. Once they had settled themselves, Tanis with his head resting on Sheik's folded legs -- the picnic basket was passed to Link and Sheik. Assortments of cheese, fruits and wine had been packed, Alhara passing them the wine. As Ari chased the butterflies, the conversation turned to more serious matters.

"They returned a few nights ago," Zelda said, refferring to the Gerudo who had come to ask for provisions. "This time they asked for nearly twice as much as what they did last time. I hesitate to give it to them, since this might turn into a habit for them." Tanis nodded as he passed a cherry to Sheik and Link nodding as he ignored the display of affection between the Termina Prince and General.

"Then don't," Sheik said after carefully chewing around the cherry stone. All eyes turned to him. "Tell them they can have half of what asked for the first time. Find out where they live, what they do, and then teach them something else. Fish, hunt, pottery, whatever -- It's pretty obvious now that they don't have any useful trade. It sounds like they need more assistance then mere donations of food and supplies."

"Hmm... Link?"

"I'll find someone to do the task after lunch," Link offered. Zelda's nod of approval made him mimick her movement and lean his weight back onto his arms behind him.

"I think I'll take my leave to my study then," Zelda said as she stood. "I need to make the reply to the Gerudo and the border guards on this matter."

Brushing stray crumbs from her dress, Alhra said "Little Ari needs her nap. I should get her back to the nursery."

"I'll come with you," Tanis offered as he sat up from laying against Sheik. Whipping around so his nose was almost touching his Sheikah General's, Tanis said "Oh Sheik. When my father last spoke to the men of the lake, they told him of a treatment that might give you back your sight. I've already given the instructions to Zelda."

Sheik's solemn demeanor suddenly changed as he threw his arms around the Prince's shoulders. "When can we try it?" he asked, excitement obvious as he hugged his friend tightly.

"Tomorrow if you like," Zelda said as she turned to watch the embrace.

"Tomorrow? Why not now?" Link blurted, leaping to his feet. Noticing only Zelda was standing her quietly sat back down. "The Gerudo on the border's can wait; we should try this new treatment Tanis has brought."

"Link, please," Sheik said quietly as he swiveled from his hug to look in the direction Link's voice was coming from. Link's lips tightened into a grim line as he looked at the white blind-fold that covered Sheik's eyes. "Lady Zelda knows what she's doing. She can't neglect the city or country's running just for my sake. Tomorrow it shall be. What time tomorrow?"

Zelda took a moment to think about it as Alhara called Ari to her. "Tomorrow in the afternoon. Will you both be available?"

"Of course," Link replied while helping Alhra pack up the items from their picnic. "This is wonderful, Tanis. A new possibility -- a new hope. Don't worry about it Zelda, we'll be there in the healing wing after lunch tomorrow."

"After lunch, of course," Zelda smiled. "Though, I'm happy to see your enthusiasm about it." She glanced at Tanis, giving him a confident look about something that the pricne shrugged at.

Uneasily, Sheik patted Link's knee and said "You don't need to be there, Link. I'm sure it'll be more of a fuss with you there."

"Actually, think it would be more helpful if you were there, Link." Motioning for him to come closer, she leaned in to whisper into his pointed ear, "I don't like restraining my friend so. If you were there, maybe you could help hold him and calm him down." Link watched as the princess, her adovisor, and her young cousin walk away to the castle again.

"Link?"

Sittind down beside Sheik, Link waited for the Sheikah to speak again.

"Link, I'm sorry for being harsh with you. But you must understand I don't need you to hold my hand or to cuddle me."

"I didn't think I was cuddling you," Link said adruptly. "I'm sorry for acting this way..."

"Right, and so it begins." Sheik crossed his arms as he laid back and crossed his legs at the ankles. "Do you even know what I mean? Can't you understand? I was fine way before you came along."

"Were you really? I seem to remember something about fake lovers and nasty soldiers," Link snapped as he stood again. Sheik grew silent and turned his head away as he rolled onto his side. Link swore before saying "Sheik, I'm sorry. Damn, I didn't mean to say that," he said as he looked from Sheik to the skies. Slowly, he knelt down beside the Sheikah and wrapped his arms around the General. "I will try not to 'cuddle' you, but only if you don't make me feel like an idiot."

"I know you mean well, Link," Sheik finally said as he turned so he was facing Link. "I you also -- Well, we should be heading back to the castle. It's going to rain sometime tonight or tomorrow, and I don't want to be caught in it."

"Yes, right -- Big day tomorrow!" Link grinned ear to ear as he helped Sheik up from the ground. Handing him his walking stick, he continued "I sure hope Tanis has found something to get you back your sight."

"So do I," Sheik mumbled.


	11. Chapter 11

**Blind**

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

As promised, Link and Sheik were standing outside the door of the third healing room, on the right side. It was just after lunch, which was figuratively speaking since Sheik had no appetite and Link wouldn't eat without the Sheikah. They had spent their noon walking around the gardens before coming back to the castle.

When Zelda finally came, Lady Caladria right on her heels, the Princess had quickly herded them into the room and shut the door. The room wasn't small, but it wasn't overly large, and Link looked around a little nervously as he noticed the bare white walls and the lack of windows. It was still bright though, with large lamps hanging from the ceiling and some in torch-like holders on the walls. A high-legged table was placed in the very middle of the room, with some scary-looking leather restrains on it. Casting Zelda a questioning look, he motioned to them but the Princess just shook her head. Zelda had said she didn't like restraining the Sheikah, but Link hadn't figured she was literally strapping him down to the table.

"Sheik." Lady Caladria was the fourth occupent of the room, and Link finally realized she was Lelyre's mother. "You should take off those heavy robes; would you like any help with them?"

"I can help him," Link said, stepping towwards the Sheikah. "But thanks anyways, Caladria."

"Caladria and I have a few things to discuss anyways. We'll be just outside the door for a moment," Zelda opened the door, following her fellow Healer and magic-user before closing the door.

"Are you nervous or excited?" Link asked as his large fingers struggled with the little clasps that held Sheik's robe to his body. Sheik had tried to help but his fingers were shaking too much that he wasn't able to do it himself.

Sheik let out a long breath before replying, "Both. I try t not get my hopes up. The first few times I was too hopeful, and the pain of the treatments being failures was too great. So now I don't hope very much that the treatment will work, rather, that it isn't too painful."

Link pasued, just a little more to go to dropping the entire robe. "Sheik, what happens in here? What kind of 'treament' is more painful than it does any good?"

"Link, it's not as easy as that. Healing is usually a painful process."

"But have you healed at all? Has anything been done to come even close to it?" Link glanced towards the door as he heard the knob turning. "Sheik, you don't have to go through this."

"Good, I see you're ready then," Zelda said as she entered the room. Link turned back to see Sheik had shrugged off the robe from his shoulders and was now untying the wrapping from his eyes. "Link, if you don't mind, would you help him up onto the table?"

Sheik finished removing the cloth and was now only dressed in a pair of light, cotton pants that hung low on his hips. His fet were bare and stained grassy green from their stroll earlier; and in the pit of Link's stomach, he had a feeling that Sheik would never know about the grass stains forever on his feet or would ever again see the colour of green. While Sheik kept his eyes closed, Link guided and helped him up onto the table, which had plush white cushions filled with feathery softness.

Zelda stood at the foot of the table, assessing the situation before saying "I think we'll need some of the restraints. Not all of them, since Link's here to hold his head to keep Sheik from flinching. But you can't do that and keep him from kicking one of us in the stomach." She had a small smile, almost sad as she moved Sheik's legs into the proper position to be restrained.

"So... You're a kicker," Link stated more then questioned. It was an attempt to make a bit of conversation and to keep Sheik's mind off the procedure.

"I have strong legs and unpredictable reflexes," Sheik offered as an explanation. "I may have almost broke one of Zelda's ribs last time."

"So that was you?" Link laughed, watching the small smile spread across Sheik's lips.

Sheik gave a half nod and said "It's kind of what happens when someone's being stabbed in the eye."

"Well, we can be sure there won't be anyone being stabbed today," Caladria promised as she handed Link a wide, flat stick wrapped with leather. It was about the length of his hand, and just about as wide too. When he gave her a questioning look about it she said "It's for Sheik to bite down on."

"Are we ready then?" Zelda asked as she checked to make sure the straps were tight. "Sheik?"

"Yes." Sheik's shaking had stopped but his breathing had increased. Caladria came to where Link was standing and cooled Sheiks face with a damp cloth. "Thank you. Link?" Sheik's liped were slightly opened, leaving just enough room for where Link placed the wooden stick between his teeth.

"Link, I'll need you to stand at the head of the table and place your hands on either side of his face to hold him still," Zelda said as she came around to the right side of Sheik and his table. "Yes, I think this is much better then having his head restrained, don't you Sheik?" Sheik blinked once, where Zelda nodded and continued, "Oh right, Link you don't know the little system we have set up for questions. One blink is for yes, two blinks is for no, and if he blinks three times then he doesn't know or he needs me to repeat myself."

"Ah, I'll try to remember that now. One for yes, and two for no," Link repeated. Zelda turned to walk to the counter on the other side of the room, where Caladria was already mixing something together. "Are you doing alright?" Sheik blinked once, too fast for Link to really see. The Hylian thought he caught a glimpe of light brown, but he wasn't too sure about it. He tried thinking of a question that would earn him two blinks for no, but he looked past Sheik's hair and saw more restraints. One looked like it would have fitted perfectly under the Sheikah's chin, with another across his forehead. There was a particularily wide one that would fitted across the Sheikah's chest. Clenching his jaw, Link decided he didn't like the look of the ofeending objecst and tenderly ran his finger along the high cheek-bone of Sheik's face.

Zelda took the tall, slender container from Caladria and continued stirring the water-like contents. It was apparently the solution that would give Sheik back his sight, since Zelda was carrying it so carefully.

"Caladria?" The Hylian woman placed Sheik's cloth aside and moved to the left side of Sheik's table. She leaned down a little and used the tips of her fingers to gently pry and hold open Sheik's eye. Between the two healer's, Link's view was obstructed and so he concentrated on just holding Sheik's head still and sending positive thoughts towards the Sheikah General.

Sheik's facial muscles tensed against Link's hands and strained against whatever was being done. Link carefully crouched down so he was level with Sheik's head and began to whisper words of encouragement. He nuzzled the back of Sheik's ear as Zelda and Caladria shifted a little to do the other eye. As the pair of women moved back, Link craned his neck to see Sheik properly.

"You can let him go now, Link."

Link stood up, but only to be moved to the side where he was able to hold Sheik's hand, which had been balled up into a fist. Sheik's perfectly straight, white teeth were clamped down on the leather, and it looked like the little wooden stick was straining under the pressure.

"Sheik?" Link tried to move the poor stick but found it wouldn't budge. "Sheik, is something wrong?" Link felt the grip on his hand tighten as he watched the clear liquid run from Sheik's eyes with tears. "Zelda, something's wrong; it's not working."

"It might be working, Link, you need to give it time," the princess said as she stirred the remaining liquid in the tall jar. "Give it another minute now."

Seconds seemed to stretch on to eternity as Link helplessly watched Sheik's face contort in agony. "Zelda, how much longer?"

"Just a few moments longer. Link, please, you're making him naxious," Zelda calmly said as she watched. "Sheik? Could you open your eyes for us? Can you see anything?"

Without a hitch, Sheik's eyes flew open. They were red, so Link couldn't guess their colour, since the pupils were so dilated they looked black. They focued in nothing as they darted about before lazily looking around. Both women were crest-fallen as Sheik finally gave a sob of frustration and closed them. Link sighed before bowing his head and rested it on Sheik's heaving chest.

"Caladria." The healer came to the side Link was on and gently pushed him towards the head of the table again.

"What? We're going to put him through that again?" Link asked as he brushed away Sheik's hair from his sweat-filmed skin.

"He may simply need a larger dose, Link." Zelda was still calm as she came forward again. "A lot of it was expelled as you saw."

Link growled before saying "I won't hold him down just so you can do that again."

Zelda closed her eyes and said "Sheik, would you like us to try again." Unfailingly it was a single blink. "I could use the restraints on the table if you prefer," she continued while motioning to the un-used leather straps.

Link swore before grabbing the damp cloth and gently wiping Sheik's face. He silently apologized and encouraged the Sheikah once more. Resuming his place at the head of the table, he gave a nod to Zelda as he gently took hold of Sheik's face.

The Healer's took their places again, obscuring Link's view. Voicing his encouragements this time, it wasn't until he felt Sheik truly struggle and attempt to thrash away all three Hylians that he stopped.

"Zelda, I know he says yes but I think you have to stop."

"Just hold on, Link,: she snapped impatiently. "We're trying a continuous stream of it and if we stop now we'll need to make more, which will be quite time-consuming. Caladria, keep his eyes open." Whether Link was over-powered or not, Sheik managed to wrench his head away and to unsettle the bottle from Zelda's grip. The jar fell to the ground and smashed, sending liquid everywhere with shards of glass flowering around their feet. Sheik shut his eyes tight and spit out the leather-wrapped wood before crying "Get it out! Silas, it burns!"

"It may burn because it's working," Zelda offered as she watched.

"Or because it isn't!" Link pushed past the Princess to the counter, grabbing the bwol that had held the damp cloth earlier. "Sheik, open your eyes. It's me, Link. Your best-friend for past few months now. I have some water, so open your eyes and let me get the stuff out." Sheik blinked rapidly as the cool water ran across his face and pooling onto the floor. Zelda stood back, her arms crossed and looking none too happy about the mess that was being created. "Zelda, please help me get these things off of him." The Princess did so without objecting as she worked on the left wrist while Link freed the right. And soon enough, Sheik was sobbing and soaking, reaching for Link. "I'm sorry about this, Zelda," Link began but left it as she waved him off.

"At least he didn't break one of our ribs," she reminded him.

* * *

Gathered in his arms, Sheik clung to Link as he left the healing rooms and headed for the nearest exit. People cleared a path for him as he marched outside and around the back, no one daring to pause him on his mission. He brought Sheik to the brooke that ran behins the castle. It was where most of the drinking water came from and seemed to be the best place to take his Sheikah companion. Once told where they were, Sheik scrambed away from Link and into the running water, where he scoopd up water and splashed them onto his face.

Link peeled off his own tunic and shirt, tossing the wet garments aside. he watched as Sheik stood up, his pants dripping wet and clinging to his legs while he turned his face towards the sky. His eyes fluttered open and he stared. Link shaded his own eyes and tried to read Sheik's expression. Both had some hopes that Sheik had regained his vision again, but the more the Sheikah stared, the more his hope was dying like a little butterfly that had been dunked into water.

Slowly, Sheik reached towards the sky with one hand, feeling his way through the air blindly. He bowed his head and slowly his arm drifted to his side again as he closed his eyes. Sheik dropped to his knee's and wept, letting the tears fall to the brooke he was sitting in. Forgetting about the water, Link slid down beside him and drew Sheik into his arms.

"I just want to see again... I just want -- I want to see the blue skies, the green grass. I want purple and orange, rainbows and -- I want to know what Zelda's cousin or fiance looks like! I want to see where I'm going if I ever ride again, to see the birds." Sheik's fingers tightened around the hair he had in his grasp, nuzzled his face closer to Link's shoulder and neck. "I want to see you smile, to see the light again," he added on a mournful note. "I want to be -- like you again."

"Like me?"

"I want to be whole again. I just -- what did I do? Why couldn't one of the Goddesses take me and fix me before sending me back?"

"Oh Sheik." Link held the Sheikah tight, one of his large hands smoothing away the wet, wasit-long hair. "You wouldn't have liked them; Goddesses are nothing more then children with nothing better to do then play the lives of people. Their realms are nothing but darkness, where there is no sound, no smell. Nothing to ever taste, to touch. No one to hold you."

"I'm sorry," Sheik choked back tears.

"You kept everything inside, with no one to share it with. Don't apologize to me."

"But Link, I can't see..."

"Sheik, you don't need to see. I don't need you to love me. Just let me love you, to allow you to lean on me. Sheik, I won't let you go," Link whispered as he held on tighter. "I... Can't let you go." Until now Link hadn't realized he was also crying. "I won't cuddle you and I'll try not to embarress you."

Sheik turned his head and rested his cheek against Link's shoulder. "I'll be nothing but a burdan. The blind one that alwasy makes you late, keeping you from doing things. It would be just easier if we didn't, Link."

"If I can't do it with you, then why would I want to do it alone in the first place?" Link said quickly. "Sheik, I know neither of us intended for this to happen, but... I love you."

"I-" Sheik couldn't find any words. "I think I should go back to Termina."

"Mkay then, I've always wanted to go to Termina," Link answered as he brushed away Sheik's hair from his neck.

"I meant, I should go so you can carry on your life here," Sheik whispered as he backed away a little. "You need to stay here."

"Then you need to stay here too."

"Why can't we argue about this later?"

"Because you brought it up," Link reminded the Sheikah.

"But I suddenly realized I'm cold and wet while sitting in a puddle," Sheik nodded against Link's shoulder.

"You're also clinging to the General of the Hylian Army and nuzzling his shoulder, but you don't here my complaining," Link smiled when he heard Sheik's soft laughter. "Come on, lets get back to your rooms; where can warm up and I can have something brought up to us for dinner. Where we can kick the cats out and it'll be just the two of us. A most splended evening, if I do say so myself."

Allowing himself to be helped up and out of the water, Sheik hugged Link and unexpectedly place a small kiss on the Hylian's lips. "Thank you for gettng me out of there," he added sincerely.

"I love you," Link replied, kind of in a state of shock.

"I know," Sheik smirked.

* * *

**My Note ~~  
I'm gone for a week after this...  
So this chapter was kind of an apology to that.  
I'll up-date as soon as I can when I come back.  
Thanksies~**

**Naku  
**


	12. Chapter 12

**Blind**

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

"There we go," Link said as he watched Sheik come from the bathroom, a towel being rubbed through his waist-long hair. Link picked up a shirt from where it rested on a chair to drape it across Sheik's left shoulder.

Sheik groaned as he dropping the towel on the chair and proceeding to pull the shirt from his shoulder to pull it on. "Here I thought you weren't going to make me do things on my own..." he mumbled as he examined it once it was on properly. "It's kind of like a nightshirt."

"That's kind of the whole point... Nothing to clasp, button, or otherwise 'mess up' as you say," Link said.

"I could always put it inside out or backwards," Sheik mused as he put it on with little trouble. "It fit's pretty good. Where did you get it?"

Link grinned while saying "I had the tailer use Lelyre's measurements thats all. It wasn't that hard to get him to make something plain. The shirt you're wearing right now is light blue and the pants are black. So you don't run the risk of mis-matching."

"That was nice of you," Sheik said as she started tucking the shirt inside of his pants. Once finished with that he picked up the hite blind-fold and ran his long fingers over the cloth, smoothing it out. He made a small sigh before placing it over his eyes and making quick work of tying it in place.

"I think," Link started saying as he finished buttoning up his shirt, "That I'll go to the kitchens and get us something to eat. I hope they have something left, and if not thn we could always go find something out in town."

"I'll be here then," Sheik shrugged. "Not like I can wonder off somewhere anyways."

"Come with me," Link offered as he took one of Sheik's hands.

Shaking his hand slightly, Sheik answered "I won't run , go get me some food damn it."

"I'll be right back then," Link's look on Sheik's face lingered as the Sheikah pulled hair away from his face and into a ponytail.

Link entered the kitchens through the back entrance, wanting to avoid the countless people who would certainly want to greet him and ask him to join their party for dinner. It looked like the desert courses were just being served, Zelda's pet dog's knawing on bones in the corner far from the cat's who inhabited the house and daintily lapped from bowls of cream or licking their coats clean. Among the group he spotted Stellar and Charisma, the grey smokey female lapping at her coat while her fat companion laid on it's back, both apperaring quite content with their meal.

Ingoring them, he went to the head cook as to see what was left for him and Sheik. Presented with a tray and a wink, the cook explained to Link, "Lady Zelda said you probably wouldn't appear for dinner." He waved over a server, instructing the young male to fetch a bottle of wine to bring to Sheik's rooms. More specifically, 'Bring a bottle of wine to Master Sheik and Lord Link.' Which had caused Link to bluch like some youth and mumble his thanks before exiting the room with a wave.

Barely half-way down the hall, he was intercepted by the Prince of Termina. "Hello there, General. I trust you're doing well tonight," he said with the practiced, smooth tongue of royalty.

"I am your Highness," Link replied with a slight bow while shifting the tray from one hand to the other. "I hope your stay so far has been a very pleasant one."

"Indeed, it has," the Prince smirked slight before continuing "There is one matter of which I want to ask you about." The regal, proper air about the Termina male slipped a little and concern lowered his voice. "Do you remember, this was a few years back, there was a party of elves that my guards could not rescue. We were on our way here, to Hyrule. My scouts and I went to cut off the Gerudo's we had seen while the rest of our group were sent here to inform someone of those we had heard. Do you know if they were found?"

"The very last time I was here, when I was part of the escourt that brought my dear friend Sheik here," Tanis said. He smiled softly at Link's blank expression. "You don't remember when that was, do you?"

"I... didn't make Sheik's acquitence until just recently," Link admitted, a touch of pink coming to his cheeks.

"Ah," Tanis said, his dark blue eyes dropping to the floor just before Link's boot. "I had hoped that maybe you would have known. Zelda can't seem to recall either. I think that perhaps help came too late." There was a pause, making Link unsure if the Prince was reffering to the party of people or his friend Sheik. "Don't let me keep you any longer, Link. Have a nice night."

"And to you as well, your highness," Link gave the Prince a nod and then continued towards his destination.

The General entered the room to find it brighter, revealing the carpets, walls and tables. The carpet was creamy, unstained and very plush. The curtains were dark, midnight blue, playing off very well on the secondary blue that was lighter but just as strong. The Hylian noted that the wood furnishing's were dark, almost black with a red-ish tint to them. The fabric covering's were the same two-tone blue's as the curtains and furniture. But now that he could clearly see the walls; a deep, dark red that was darker than blood but not quite as rich as wine. The room was beautiful, but the colour of the walls made him question why it was that way.

"Someone came by with some wine," Sheik said, lounging across the couh casually. "He asked which one we wanted, but since I can't read the labels," he slurred softly. "I asked him to leave them all. I think I like this one," Sheik raised the half-full bottle to Link. The Hylian found another bottle, uncorked and resting on the floor. Just beside it was a small puddle and with a few droplets surrounding it like crimson stars.

"It looks to me like you liked this one more," Link said as he looked at the label before putting it on the tray.

"I did, but then it ran out." Sheik drank straight from the bottle he held before continuing "You may need to find some for youself."

Link walked over slowly, picking the bottle up from the floor before taking away the one Sheik had. "Save some for dinner, which is gettting cold just so you know." The bottles joined the empty one on the table, which Link righted. "Or would you like to eat where you are?"

"Come here, Link," Sheik commanded, voice soft but firm. Link gave him a strange look before walking over and sitting beside the Sheikah. "I think I tied the blind-fold too tight, would you mind loosening it for me?"

"No, because you're obviously drunk. And later on when you find out, you wouldbe very angry that I had taken it off." Link crossed his arms and didn't budge as Sheik shook his arm. "Besides, I ended up pretty sore and bruised up the last time I tried taking. That was a mere accident too."

"But I'm drunk," the Sheikah slurred, pulling Link's arm a little more insitantly. "So I won't."

Link easily grabbed a hold of Sheik's wrists while softly saying "Do you know what I just thought? I wonder -- you're not really drunk, are you?"

The playful smile fell into a grim line as Sheik said "Am I really that bad of an actor?"

"No," Link answered simply after a moment of thinking about it. "You just can't fool me anymore. Why do you want me to remove it though?"

"Because..." Sheik's hands dropped from Link's arm to be carefully folded in his lap. "Because you wanted to, and I thought I might finally let you." His grim line of a mouth slowly softened as Link gently tilted his head downwards so he could have better access at the knot that held Sheik's blind-fold to his face. The white cloth fell freely from Sheik's face and into his lap, where his fingers smoothed it out. He slowly 'looked' up, trying to seek out where Link was by his voice.

"You have red eyes," Link said in softly, wonder lowering his voice as he searched the orbs of crimson. They were almost the exact shade of the walls behind him, just a little brighter, sparkling but wondering aimlessly. "They are very beautiful."

"They don't do anything," Sheik's response was dry but his arched eye-brow raised a little as he felt Link's fingers wonder over the sharp angles of his face.

"Of course they do; you don't seem to think so but I do," Link said as he ran a thumb over Sheik's bottom lip. "Now that I can see them, I know that you trust me. And that means quite a lot to me, Sheik."

After a slight hesitation, Sheik said "Yes, yes I do trust you." He paused to swallow hard before bringing a hand up to tuck his hair behind his ears, a slight imagination that he could see still and his hair was still only getting in the way. "You can put it back on me if it bothers you. It usually bothers the others, that why I keep it on."

"That doesn't matter to me, not one bit." Link stood up. "Shall we eat now or what?"


	13. Chapter 13

**Blind**

**Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

"I think I'll go to sleep early tonight," Sheik stated, running a brush through his hair. "Today has been quite... quite the adventure," he decided as he placed the brush down and sweeping his waist-long hair over one shoulder. He made to reach behind his head but made a gesture Link didn't recognize while mumbling "I forgot that I didn't have the mask on..." The Sheikah peeled his shirt off, casting it into a heap at the foot of the bed where Link gathered them up to put into the basket that sat right behind the bathroom door.

Once that was finished he stacked up the dishes and left-overs, taking them down to the end of the hallway where the kitchen staff would come by later to pick them up. He looked down at the two empty bottles of wine, a small smile gracing his lips as he thought back to Sheik's eye-balls. Stellar and Charisma weaved around his feet, scooting through the door when Link opened it again. They used to come through the window but now that the door was opened more frequently and roamed around the hallways as the other house cats did.

Once in the room again, Link went to the windows and drew the curtain closed, leaving the window opened for the cats to climb in and out as they wished. Settling the last bottle of wine on the table, he walked to the couch and sat down on it, where Stellar mewed at him. After scratching her little ears he began to pull off his days clothes. The Hylian gave Sheik a cautious glance before pulling on a pair of loose, cotton, white pants that hung low on his hips. He smiled a little as his bare feet ghosted across the carpet, enjoying how soft the fibre's were. Kneeling down to scratch behind Stellar's ears, he looked at Sheik who cleared his throat.

"Something the matter, Sheik?" Link asked as he continued scratching the female's ears.

"I -- well, you've spent the last few nights in bed... I just -- well, if you don't want to anymore," Sheik stuttered a little, his fingers fumbling with the edge of the sheets.

"I was about to come over, just saying good night to the cats," Link stated as he stood up. Taking a small sip of wine before biting his lip a little, he glanced over to the Sheikah. Shaking his head, he blew out three of the four candles, taking the remaining one with him and placing it onto the little table beside the overly-large bed. He had once asked why Sheik had such a big bed but he had smiled softly, shook his head and went silent. Settling himself on the bed without crawling into the covers, he asked "All good?"

Sheik nodded, one arm under his pillow and the other over the blanket. "Good night, Link." He slowly closed his eyes before rolling over so that his back was towards Link.

"Good night, love," Link slapped his hand over his mouth the moment it came out, Sheik whipping around to face him again, his red eyes narrowed at the general. "Look, I'm sorry-"

"No you're not," Sheik snickered a little. "You're a very horrible actor."

"Oh gee thanks."

"You're most welcome."

"Well, where I lack in theatrical sincerity, I make up for my charm and good looks." Link groaned inwardly as he realized his mistake in words. Grimacing slightly, he looked at Sheik, who wore a wistful look.

The Sheikah reached over, feeling around until he found Link's hand. "I bed you have the most beautiful, golden blonde hair in the city," he said unexpectedly.

"It's not all that great," Link replied modestly. He silently watched as Sheik's hand reached forward, missing the golden strands just inches fromhis fingertips. Taking hold of Sheik's hand, he threaded the fingers through his shoulder-length hair.

"It's soft," Sheik commented as he fingered the fine, long strands. His hand brushed up against the single, intricate braid, which he fingered for a moment or two. "I remember..." The sigh he let out was pained. "I remember when I used to have these," he continued, remembering the three braids of the Termina warriors instead of the singuliar one that denoted Link's status of a warrior. Letting go, Sheik pulled his hand away but was easily caught by Link, who held on tightly.

"Sheik-"

"Link, pease, I-"

"Don't tell me that you can't be with anyone because of your lack of sight. Because in the dark," Link whispered as he pulled Sheik closer to him, "We are both blind."

And he blew the last candle out.


	14. Chapter 14

**Blind**

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

As the tiny flame of the candle's wick ceased to burn, Link entered Sheik's world. He could hear Charisma padding along the floor, flopping down in his favourite corner. The sheets rustled, the wind whispering along under the curtains and caressing the back of his neck. Sheik swallowed and breathed deeply in and out again. He smelled of something that reminded Link of early morning, like when the dew clung to the grass and the skies were in false reached forward in an attempt to brush his fingers over Sheik's lips, and instead touched his elbow. Once he reached them the breath that ghosted over his fingers was steady and soft, a little warm.

Sheik had fallen asleep.

"How beautiful..." Link mumbled as he traced the high and sharp angles of Sheik's face.

The corner of Sheik's mouth twitched, as if he was about to say something.

"You've had lover's before, yes?"

Sheik frowned in his sleep, before mumbling something Link couldn't make out.

"You've been with another male, right?" he whispered before slowly kissing the corner of Sheik's lips.

"Mmm..." Sheik rolled away from Link."

"What was his name?" Link slowly inched closer to Sheik again, wrapping his arms around the Sheikah's torso. "I'll tell you about mine. His name was Eldorian. I met him when we were in Labrynna, where we grew... very close. Not that we were committed to each other or anything but,we parted a little before the fall. And the fire dragon -- well, the night of the fall."

Sheik rolled over again and snuggled closer to Link.

Brushing away the hair from Sheik's face, Link asked "So who was he? Do I know him?"

Sheik frowned again.

Link came closer while asking "Who was it, love? Please, tell me."

It really was Link's fault for pressing the matter, for his arms gave away and he fell onto Sheik when he heard the words that were mumbled to him.

* * *

"What? Now whats wrong?" Sheik's left hand fumbled around in the darkness. "Link?" He was pinned beneath his lover, but not for very long.

Link pushed himself off Sheik a little, staring at Sheik. "What? Nothing, it was just me."

"Something's wrong, I can hear it in your voice," Sheik's hand brushed again Link's cheek. "What is it?"

"You, uh..." Taking hold of Sheik's hand, Link held it to his chest, slightly afraid that if he left it on his cheek he'd be slapped all the way to Termina. "You were asleep when you mumbled something about Termina and something else..." Link shifted nervously as he felt Sheik stiffen. "You... you were talking about..."

Slipping his hand from Link's chest, Sheik said in an unsure voice "I was talking in my sleep? I didn't know that... Do I do this very... often?" Link stayed silent. "What do I talk about, Link?"

"Not so much as 'what' but more of a 'who'..."

"Well, you are going to tell me who, aren't you?" Sheik slipped from bed, wearing a similiar pair of pants that Link did. He stumbled around a little, feeling his way until her found the dresser. Link heard him open the dresser and pull something out, the soft rustle of fabric across skin. Sheik must have slipped on a robe or shirt. "I suppose I could guess, since you aren't going to tell me. Must have been something that you don't understand, judging from the reaction you're giving me."

"Sheik, it's just that -- I didn't think..." Link let the bed, heading straight the for table instead of the dresser. Retrieving the half-bottle of wine he poured himself a goblet. "You were talking about your wife," Link softly said after a long drink.

"Oh, her," came Sheik's dry reply. "Well... That must have been how she the basics of what I was alwasy doing... I must mumble and she pieces it all together..." Sheik smoothed his hair away from his face. "So what, did I call her terrible names and curse her all the way to the realms below or something?"

"Actually... No, not really," Link said after another long drink.

"What did I say?" Sheik almost dropped the bottle when he could feel Sheik's breath across his chin. "What exactly did I say, Link?"

Setting the cup down on the table, he moved so the table was between him and Sheik to keep some distance between him and the Sheikah. "I asked you about your former lovers and you kind of mumbled them," he said quickly when he saw the Sheikah crouch a little at the knee's.

"WHAT!?" Sheik was faster then Link had thought, leaping over the table in the direction of Link's voice. "You what?"

"I.... I asked... you... Sheik, look I didn't mean to, uh..."

"Didn't mean to what?" Now backed up against the wall, Link was subjected to a rather angry Sheikah and his finger that was waggling at him. "You meant to find the answer to your question, didn't you? Meant to compromise our trust then, and-"

"Oh... Oh," Link cursed in a language Sheik wasn't familiar with.

"Yeah," Sheik tried repeating the word. Link bit his bottom lip as he tried not to laugh at the statement. "You're just lucky that I love you, Link. Despite all of your lack of manners and unfathomable behavior."

"It was because I love you," Link protested, "That I wanted to know more about you."

"What a load... of bull shit."

"No, seriously, I just wanted to know you better. Because when I hear Tanis or Zelda talk about you it's like-"

"That's a little different then what I thought..."

"Sheik, I just wanted to know you... Like before you came here to Hyrule."

Sheik sighed, his tense body suddenly relaxing as he turned his head towards the door. "Link... Why didn't you just ask me? I would have told you everything without question. You know about my books, you know about the treatments I've gone through, my cats -- oh by the Goddesses, you sleep in my bed!" Link's grip on Sheik's wrist's lessoned. Sheik crossed his arms for a moment before wrapping them around Link's chest. "What would you like to know about me?"

"Can we start with your wife?" Link asked, sweeping Sheik's hair away from his face.

"Lets sit down," Sheik laced his fingers with Link's to bed lead to the couch. "Better," he mumbled as he settled in the arm-chair across from Link's couch. Sheik let out a small snort as ink relaxed, watching Sheik pull his legs up against his chest. "I can't believe you thought you'd get away with something like this, and without telling me."

"I assumed you knew..." Link answered. Moments later he was lsiding from the couch, half trying to figure out how Sheik was so fast and the other half trying ti keep his fingers away from his sides. Slipping to the floor, tears were falling as Sheik assaulted the Hylian's sides and stomach. "Okay, stop, please! Stop it!"

Sheik continued to tickle Link, pinning him down with one knee on his arm. "No more secrets!"

"Yes, yes, I promise!" Please!" Link begged as he tried jerking out of Sheik's reach, limbs splayed out onto the floor as Sheik settled himself in his couch again. "No more, I promise," he gasped, holding his side as he crawled up onto the couch again.

"Alright," Sheik flipped his hair casually out of his face while waiting for Link to relax again. "Then I'll tell you my 'secret', though, it doesn't count since Tanis and Zelda already know. Though there's nothing to worry about."

"So, where does all of this begin?"

"You know how I came from Termina, right?" Sheik asked, shifting so that his legs dangled over one arm. "There was this young woman, a lady in Kith's court. I didn't know it at the time but she was very much in love with my younger brother, just like a lot of the young women I already knew... Anyways, he was young, barely before his majority. Not that it matters nymore; the point is that he was too young for most of them." He paused, running his fingers over his lips before speaking again. "But this particular woman... her parents were pushing her to marry since they were more concerned about her becoming an 'old maid' rather then her happiness. I was convenient and secure; a strong soldier with a very promising military career ahead of me."

"So you married her..." Link whispered as he studied Sheik's face.

"Our courtship was very short and our marriage a very lavish affair. Even Kith and Tanis attended to it. But what not many people know is that on our wedding night, Aryan locked herself in a closet, crying her brown eyes out until her mother ws able to convince her to come out. So I slept on the couch -- Now you can see why I was a little un-easy with you there," Sheik explained, pausing for a moment to catch his breath from his monologue. Link nodded as Sheik continued. "It was nearly a year afterwards that we finally consumated our bonding. If you could call it that anyways."

Link reached across and touched Sheik's knee.

"It was always very... planned. 'Good morning, darling'." Sheik shook his head. "I used to always say that. 'Do you think perhaps, tonight maybe?' And she would answer with 'I'll make your dinner early then'. It was like... It was like love-making was something she had to fit into her scheduale." Sheik shook his head again as he pulled his knee out of reach from Link's hand. "The act itself wasn't anything more then what it originally was. There was never any real love between me and my wife, which made it only sex. It didn't matter how much I tried to please her."

Link ignored how Sheik moved his knee away from him instead to pick up Sheik to pull him into a hug. He couldn't offer any words that described how he felt so instead he just smoothed out Sheik's hair.

"Our relationship kind of went downhill after that for the next ten years. My brother had finally come of age, and everywhere I saw him he was charming women. He was handsome, and he had such a way with words. My wife was... enraged; constantly comparing me to him. That I wasn't as graceful, caring or social." Sheik applied a little pressure against Link's chest to look at him. "I was fool, because I tried so hard to be what she wanted me to be. But she didn't want me, Link. I should have seen that sooner."

"You're not a fool, Sheik-"

"Hush. You wanted to hear this story after all. Anyways, I had the oppurtunity to take an easy assignment in the country," Sheik paused for a moment. "Or to complete a very dangerous assignment that would requir me to travel out of the country for a little while. Three years was never a long time, and for once she actually seemed happy about my work. By the realms below, she was almost intersted even. And so I left with a sense of pride, missing her every now and then when I was away."

"Where did you go?"

"It doesn't matter now. But when I returned..." Sheik sighed before continuing. "It wasn't expected that I would return as soon as I did, but I did and thats what happened. Anyways, as my home-coming gift I met my newborn son." Sheik's words were bitter and he turned his head away from Link.

"I didn't know you-" Link began.

"I didn't." Sheik turned to level his red eyes to Link's blue one's as best he could. "I was gone for three years in other countries."

"OH." Link pulled Sheik closer, forcing his Sheikah lover to place his legs on either side of Link's hips. "I'm sorry, Sheik."

"Not as much as I was. She put on quite the good act. I still don't know if she thought I was that stupid or if she was that manipulative. But I didn't want to see her and I just couldn't not say anything. I just stared at him. Then I went to Kith." Sheik paused for a moment before standing and reaching for the nearby table. Link stood, touching Sheiks shoulder to settle him back down onto the couch. Filling him a glass of water and handing it down to Sheik, Link settled next to him and waited until Sheik drained half the glass. "According to the laws of Termina, I had the right to kill her lover."

"Did you?"

A sad look came across Sheik's face as he said "I don't like killing. Or death in general. But thats not the reason why I didn't do it. The reason was because he was my brother, Link. I held him in my arms the day he came screaming and kicking into the world." Tears slowly rolled down Sheik's cheeks from his un-seeing eyes. "I would have done whatever it took to bring him happiness."

"Even if it meant sacraficing your's..."

"I wasn't happy with her. Ever. But things had been tolerable. Kith gave me the advice as he saw it. Either I could go along with the act and take him in as my own son knowing full well that he is not." Sheik paused as he leaned back into the couch a little more. "Or I could have the marriage dissolved on the grounds that it had never been consumated."

"But you did sleep with her," Link whispered.

Sheik nodded before saying "But who really knows what happens behind closed doors. I chose my brother's happiness in exchange for my honor. You wouldn't believe the whispers behind my back. The scorching looks from other's across a hallway or court. And for once, my wife, a woman no longer mine, actually talked to me with respect. And do I dare say love? It's terrible that finally she loved me when I despised her. But she brought my brother his happiness so I learned to keep my tongue."

Link gently kissed Sheik's cheek before saying "How sad."

"There was no chance for me to start over; no lady would dare to even risk dancing with me in public. There was no more camaradie with the other soldiers that I grew up with and trained with, only the cold looks from my peers. So I thrust myself into my work, becoming the model soldier, working up the ranks. It's lonely at the top, but it was better me then someone who had a chance."

"Oh, how I'd like to give this woman a piece of my mind," Link growled a little.

"Can't do that," Sheik's reply was dry.

"And why not?"

"Because she's dead now." Sheik shifted so he was sitting right at Link's side. "She died of heart-ache when my brother died in the last battle. Her son was killed in that war too. Which was terrible because he was respectable. He was a very fine young man, my nephew."

"What was his name?"

"Aryll. But aside from that, what you mistakened for guided practice was really a few years worth of pent-up frustration begging to be released," Sheik said softly as he hugged Link closer.

"That has to be one of the most heart-breaking stories I have ever heard."

"So thats my story before I came to Hyrule."


	15. Chapter 15

****

Blind

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

"What is that stench?" Sheik asked, wrinkling his nose as Link aided him in sitting down beside him at the head table. Tanis, who was sitting on the side Link wasn't, made a show of sniffing his arms as if he were the source of the offending odour.

"Put your arm down, cousin," Zelda playfully scolded him. "The border guards rotated last night; those coming back didn't arrive until this morning. Worn and hungry, I asked them to have breakfast in the hall before they took to the baths. It usually takes a day to clean up after them once they get in there anyways, so it wasbest to let all of us get in before they mucked it up."

"It's _them_, isn't it?" Sheik asked, whispering softly to Link. Indeed, when Link sneaked a look over his shoulder he saw the same rowdy group that had been the cause of trouble two months ago.

"Don't worry about them, Sheik," Link insisted. "Forget about them." Leaning his face closer, Sheik tilted his head a little as he felt Link's breath ghost over his face. "Kiss me," Link said, simple two words that Sheik complied to. "When the kitchen girl comes by, how do you want your omlet? Cheese and mushrooms?"

"Yes, thank you. That sounds like a very delightful combination," Sheik said.

"And how would you know that he would like an omlet?" Tanis narrowed his eyes as he watched his current friend and past lover.

Link offered a shy smile while replying "I guess lovers just know these things about each other." Link took a hold of Sheik's hand and gave it a squeeze while Tanis' eyes narrowed a little more. As one of the servers came around with pitchers of water and juice, another came around with a basket of muffins, handing them out randomly. Link raised his free hand as the server hovere a strawberry muffin above Sheik's plate, saying "That can't be strawberry... No, not that one... Do you have anything else?" Link smiled apologetically as the server rolled the muffins to the other side, pulling out a raspberry/blueberry muffin onto Sheik's plate.

"He doesn't like strawberry muffins," Link explained to the group of Hylians staring at him from the otherside of the table. Underneith the table Sheik squeezed Link's hand in return. " "I hope that was alright," Link said as he turned to look along the fine-boned features of Sheik's face.

A smile eased itself slowly across Sheik's lips as he said "I love you."

"I know," Link said as he returned the sqeeze and flagged down another of the kitchen maids to order their breakfast.

* * *

  
"Just look at them," growled the leader of the recently returned unit. "He sits up there with the family, ordering what he wants and being pampered as if he belongs with them."

"With all due respect, captain," one of the other guardians said, not quite an officer yet, "If he's really Link's lover then he has every right to be up there. And do I dare say, they actually look happy together."

"When I want your opinion I'll have it," the captain snapped at the lowe ranking soldier. "Did you even look at them? So planned, precise..." The young captain growled.

At the end of the table, a few of the other soldiers began to whisper to each other.

"If you have something to say, you tell all of us," he snarled as he slammed his fist against the table.

"Captain, permission to be dismissed," one of the soldiers requested.

"No. No!" His fist connected with the top of the table again. "I will not-" Everyone else at the table were sudenly on their feet, scrambling to salute. A moment later and the captain was also scrambling to his feet, bringing his hand up to salute like the rest.

"Did the table... do something?" Link asked, circling around the group of soldiers.

"Sir, no sir."

Nodding, he came back around until he was face-to-face with the captain. "Well then, why the hell were you banging the hell out of it?"

"Sir, I don't know, sir."

"You don't know...? You... just have no idea, just thought-" Link's fist slammed against the tabletop. "-I'll just beat the bloody table! Makes for good conversation at breakfast, does it!?"

Walking around the table, he asked "Do any of the rest of you know why your unti leader was slamming his hand against the table?"

"Sir, no sir."

"I didn't expect any of you to. See, look!" Link made a gesture, pointing to the captain. "He did it and he doesn't even know! I sort of like that phrase now..." Link gave each of them a musing look before saying "Hmm... 'General Link, will we be able to come home for our schedualed rotation?' 'Gee, I don't know'," Link said with a casual shrug. Shaking his head, he let out a disgusted snort. "In two hours I want the lot of you on the archery field; each day until you return to the borders you'll practice for two hours or tweny rounds, whichever is the latter. You might be home for now, but that doesn't mean you're no longer on leave. Dismissed," he said with a snarl as he walked away from them.

"Did they have an answer as for why they were trying to beat my table to a pulp?" Zelda asked as she grimaced from pulling a sausage link from her cousin's sleeve.

Link smiled at the two highnesses while replying "No, none of them seemed to have any kind of idea. Not to worry though, I've assigned each of them something to keep them busy." Those around the dining hall, including those at the head table, watched as the soldiers stormed out of the room. More than just a few looked over their shoulders with disgust at their captain. "Looks like a little tension is building," Link said as he watched. "I hate it when this sort of thing happens." He sat down again, intending to finish his meal without another interruption.

Nearly at the end of their breakfast, Sheik knocked over his water glass as he struggled to stand up. Wildly grabbing for purchase, he found his walking stick only to be stopped by Link, who wrapped his arms around him to steady the Sheikah.

"Link, can't you hear that!? Listen!"

"Hear what?" Link strained to catch whatever Sheik was listening to, but couldn't catch anytyhing outside of the hall noises. Aside from that he heard nothing. Zelda and Alhara looked just as confused, but Tanis was concentrating on something far off. "Tanis, don't you hear it?"

"It's there, but just barely," he swiveled in his chair to hear better. "It's in the courtyard."

"Screaming, Link! Link, someone's in danger, or threatened, or-" Sheik was gently grabbed but firmly by Tanis, who in turn looked to Link.

"Link, please."

"I'm going, stay here!" he yelled somewhat as he ran down the main aisle of the hall. Tanis kept a firm hand on Sheik as they Princess and Advisor followed close behind. As soon as Alhara had the little princess cousin safely with a nurse, she hitched up her dress to try to catch up to Zelda. Tanis grabbed onto Sheik's walking stick and guided him swiftly to the courtyard.


	16. Chapter 16

**Blind**

**Chapter Sixteen**

* * *

Link released the tight grip he had on his sword, running faster as he could begin to hear the screams fading from the courtyard. A crowd had come to see what the commotion was, but a ring of soldiers didn't allow them any closer to the four figures in the ring. When Link broke through the screams had been reduced to sobs, Lelyre being held back by one of the three soldiers in the middle. His beautiful golden harp was being smashed into more pieces, Captain Lhun now stomping his booted feet against the already fragmented instrument. The third soldier who wasn't holding Lelyre was standing beside the captain, begging him to stop while being pushed back by the destructive male.

"Attention!" Link bellowed as he pushed to the front of the crowd, the majority of the soldiers falling into line as well as the two closest to the captain. Lelyre crumpled to the ground, his sobbing renewed as he crawled closer to his destroyed harp. The captain stomped down on the wood and strings, Lelyre crying out in agony as he watched helplessly. "I said, attention!" The rest of the soldiers standing about reluctantly raised their heads, resuming a blank expression and placing their arms at their sides. Lhun raised his head defiantly at Link, balling his hands into fists as Link advanced onto him. "You are out of order," Link shouted as he came almost nose-to-nose with Lhun, firmly planting his feet and resting his hands on his hips. Tanis came up at Link's right, glaring at Lhun as he snorted at the sight of the Termina royal. "How dare you attack an unarmed and helpless civilian?"

"I know who he is," Lhun sneered, looking over his shoulder at the weeping Hylian just behind him. "It took me some time, but I finally figured it all out," jade green eyes turned to Sheik, who was being led by Lady Alhara. "I simply knew you would never take... that into your rooms as your lover," Lhun spat as Sheik came to Tanis' side, the prince wrapping an arm around Sheik's shoulders protectively. Link was about to step forward when Tanis took a firm grip on his elbow, later on which Link would thank him for. "I knew someone had to have told you what transpired..." A dark look at Lelyre, straightening his stance before turning back to look at Link. "When I saw him today, sitting beneath the willows and playing that childs toy, I knew who it was. He's the only one who will talk to both of you; he's the only person that _thing_ has a use for."

"Brother, please," the one soldier who had pleaded to the captain to stop came forward, but Lhun gave him a glare that silenced him immediately. The slight interruption afforded Link a chance to step forward, his sky blue eyes staring at jade green ones.

"Captain, you've already over-stepped a line, and now you're wearing down my patience. I will have you restrained if I must," Link threatened as Lhun narrowed his eyes at him.

"And for what? Because of a lie?" Lhun snapped as he threw Sheik a venomous look. "You don't love him."

"That will be enough," Zelda came between the two men, gloved hands pressing them back with gentle pressure. She knew Link was coming close to losing his control, not wanting her friend to beat the pulp out of the captain. "You're a shameful example of a soldier, captain. You two," Zelda motioned a pair of soldiers nearby, "Take him to his room and guard the door. You," another pair of soldiers, "Take that one and do the same,"pointing to the one soldier who had restrained Lelyre. "Do the same." The captain crossed his arms across his chest, staring past Zelda in defiance. The muscular Hylian didn't budge one inch as the pair of guards took his arms, trying to pull their superior away from the spectacle. Zelda stepped forward, fisting the captain's shirt in her hand while saying "Do not defy me, captain. You are ruining what little of a military career you once strived for."

Lelyre, who had been kneeling in the ground and carefully gathering his harp, glanced up with bottle green eyes and spied the look in jade green. The soldier knew he was being watched so he glanced down with an evil smirk gracing his lips. Before anyone realized what was happening, Link was trying to pry Lelyre away from Lhun, who was howling on the ground and clutching at a spot just below his knee.

"He bit me!" the captain screamed as Lelyre was held close to Link.

"Oh, would you imagine that," Sheik was monotone, leaning against Tanis.

"Don't talk to me," Lhun sneered as he was hauled to his feet by his pair of guards. Sheik pulled away from Tanis, taking a few long stides towards Lhun, closing the gap between them. Grabbing a hold of Lhun's shirt, Sheikripped off his blind-fold and cast it down to the ground before pulling Lhun's face close.

"I used to think that people like you were the ones who defined who I was. To appease you, I thought that I had to cover up who I truly was," Sheik growled as he looked up, not knowing if there was a height difference between them or not. "No more, because I remember who I once was. I am Sheik," the Termina male gave Lhun a shove before staggering back a step, allowing Tanis to wrap an arm around him. His wallking stick wasn't to be located, forgotten in the banquet hall in all of their haste. Zelda dismissed the captain with a wave of her hand, the guards taking their assigned soldier to carry out their orders. As a few of the other soldiers began to follow, Link barked orders to them that they should be back at the practice fields. The third soldier who had tried to stop the captain pleaded to Link, wishing to go with the first two instead of to the practice fields. Link narrowed his blue eyes, meeting a pair of jade green eyes before turning his back on the soldier. ith the slumping of slender shoulders, the young Hylian turned around and went at a fast jog to catch up to the retreating soldiers.

"I expect the both of you," Zelda turned her scrutinizing look from Link to Sheik, "In exactly ten minutes, so be prepared to tell me everything."


End file.
